Indonesia has stopped sales of Google Pixel smartphones, citing non-compliance with the country’s local content rules, just days after similarly blocking Apple’s iPhone 16 in the Southeast Asian nation’s biggest phone market.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Industry, Google’s smartphones will remain off the market until the company meets a 40% local content threshold required for all smartphones sold in Indonesia. Google must acquire local content certification before it can resume sales, confirmed ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief. “The local content rule ensures fair treatment for all investors in Indonesia and aims to add value and strengthen the industry here,” he told reporters.
This recent ban mirrors last week’s sales block on the iPhone 16, after Apple fell short on a $95 million investment pledge. Major phone manufacturers are required to meet Indonesia’s domestic content rules either by manufacturing locally, developing firmware, or directly investing in local innovation.
Indonesia’s 40% content rule for smartphones and tablets can be fulfilled through local production, firmware development, or by investing in innovation projects. Some companies, like Samsung and Xiaomi, have chosen to build manufacturing plants, while Apple has set up developer training academies.
These regulations are enforced through a certification process called “local content level,” a key part of Indonesia’s strategy to leverage its significant consumer market to drive domestic growth. Companies that fail to meet these content levels face strict sales restrictions.
