Apple has launched iPhone 16 this year. Earlier, Google had launched Pixel 9 smartphone. A Muslim country has banned both these phones. The country we are talking about is Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country. The Indonesian government had banned the iPhone 16 just a few days ago. Now the government has also banned Google Pixel smartphones.
Indonesia is the largest phone market in South-East Asia. This country has banned Apple iPhone 16 and Google Pixel phones due to the law to promote local business. Apple and Google are accused that being foreign companies, they have not followed Indonesian laws. Therefore this action has been taken against them.
Indonesia has implemented a law under which the products sold in the country smart fone At least 40 percent of the parts should be made in the country. This rule is part of Indonesia's industrial strategy, which aims to promote local industry, create jobs and make the country less dependent on foreign-made goods.
The government wants companies selling phones in Indonesia to add value to the country's economy and not just earn profits. Interestingly, brands have different approaches to meeting these local content rules:
Companies like Samsung and Xiaomi have built manufacturing plants in Indonesia. This allows them to create jobs while meeting local content quotas.
According to marketing firm Counterpoint, Google and Apple are not among the top five smartphone sellers in Indonesia. However, Indonesia's smartphone market is too big to be ignored, as millions of people are completely dependent on phones.
Indonesia's laws reflect a trend among Southeast Asian countries that are trying to use their large consumer bases to attract technology investment and develop their own industries. For customers in Indonesia, this means more job opportunities and access to better technology at cheaper prices.
