Asia Tech Wire (Nov 1) -- Indonesia has banned the sale of Pixel phones, saying that Alphabet's Google has failed to meet the country's "local content" requirements for smartphones.

According to Indonesia's industry ministry, Google phones won't be able to go on sale until they meet the required 40% "local content" rule.

Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry, said Thursday that Google must pass the "local content" certification before sales can resume.

The spokesperson said it was illegal to trade Google Pixel phones in Indonesia, even though about 22,000 of them have already entered the country this year through personal consignments or carry-on items.

The ban follows Indonesia's ban on the iPhone 16, and Apple's failure to fulfill a $95 million investment commitment was the main reason.

Smartphone makers need to comply with Indonesia's content regulations through device production, firmware development, or investment in local innovation.

The regulations require tech companies to have 40% local content in smartphone and tablet components, which they can meet by setting up local factories, developing firmware or investing directly in innovation projects.

Samsung and Xiaomi, for example, have already established manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, while Apple has chosen to open a developer academy.