Apple so special. The technology giant founded by Steve Jobs has become a benchmark for other manufacturers in creating a product. For consumers, the device produced by Apple considered more valuable and classy than the other. There is pride when having it. Although expensive, the products of Apple in Indonesia is still in demand. Even when there are not available in this country, not a few who buy it from overseas.
This has happened repeatedly, especially on the iPhone. Although the market is large, but Apple still has yet to make this country a priority. When there is a new product launched, Indonesia has never entered the list of countries available for the first time. Its peak, Apple in Indonesia could not sell the iPhone for almost two years because it could not meet the regulations of the TKDN (Domestic Content Level) set by the government.
Because of the lobby, whether from Apple or government of Indonesia, finally the scheme of DCL changed so that lets Apple re-market the iPhone in Indonesia. As a result, on Friday yesterday (31/3), the consumer can buy the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus through local telco Smartfren and local distributor Erajaya.
Sell iPhone 7 Via Smartfren and Erajaya
Although it has been adrift long enough from the time of launch (September 2016), but consumer enthusiasm is still great. Derrick Surya, VP Brand Communication Smartfren when we met after the inaugural sale in the Gallery Smartfren Sabang, Jakarta (31/3) said that has been doing preorder (register) on the website as much as 5 thousand subscribers. “Almost 1,000 units the customer already make a payment more, this is above our initial target of just 500 subscribers,” said Derrick.
According to him, many subscribers who took the methods of installment through credit card. As for the devices most widely chosen is the iPhone 7 Plus Jet Black. At this sale, Smartfren offers two packages, bundling, i.e. iPlan 350 and iPlan 485. Smartfren is the one and only official communications partner for Apple in Indonesia to market the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
“This is a form of Apple trust to Smartfren telecom as the exclusive partner of Apple in Indonesia. Through this cooperation anyway, Apple has to test the network quality of Smartfren and they have proved us as the best 4G LTE network in Indonesia,” said Derrick.
Meet the DCL by Building Research Center
Yes, although still not prioritized, Indonesia remains an important market and has great potential. So that can’t be missed. With the largest population in ASEAN, Indonesia has become the largest market for the company. In the last five years, customers of mobile telecommunications increased four-fold, from 63 million to 211 million subscribers. In fact, the estimated number of mobile phones circulating current as much as 300 million units, exceeding the population of Indonesia, which amounted to about 250 million people.
In order to continue to sell in the country, Apple was forced to comply with regulations. In this case, Apple in Indonesia to be able to get DCL to use the investment scheme according to article 25 of the Permenperin No 65 the year 2016. In these regulations, the calculation of the DCL-based this only applies to the type of investment. A company can invest with a certain value for the fulfillment of the value of the DCL.
Thursday (30/3), exactly a day before the inaugural sale of the iPhone 7, the Director of the South Asia Apple’s Michel Coulomb and Manager of Government Affairs Apple Indonesia Mirza Natadisastra met with the Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto. “We give appreciation to the efforts of Apple because they support the government’s policy of increasing local content, innovation, and investment, which finally success,” said Hartanto.
Minister of industry said, the center for research and development or research and development (R&D) center, Apple’s first in Indonesia, will be located in BSD, Tangerang Selatan, Banten. This time, they are still in the preparation of the design and construction of several facilities being built.
R&D Center located in Green Office Park, BSD is expected to be operational in May 2017 and as many as 400 local workers will be absorbed. They called the center cooperate with universities in that area. The first stage will cooperate with Bina Nusantara University.
In addition, Apple will provide a training program to produce a lecturer at the research center. Educational facilities, this will develop an environment-based or Apple Environment that can be utilized industry. “So, the application could also be used for the enterprise,” he continued.
The plan, there are two more R&D Center to built Apple in Indonesia, one still on the island of Java and the other in North Sumatra. The commitment of Apple to build a research center is estimated to reach a value of an investment of USD44 million, or about Rp586 billion.
According to Airlangga, the innovation center aims to create the latest digital technology belonging to Apple, including the development of applications that can be used on the devices they produce. Investment in the field of software and research this as an attempt of Apple’s meet the DCL 30 percent so they can sell the iPhone in Indonesia. “In the meeting, they say thank you because the government has issued a certification of TKDN so that Apple can sell products 4G LTE smartphones in Indonesia,” said Airlangga.
Please note, to qualify DCL 30 percent, Apple in Indonesia should be committed to investing amounted to Rp550 billion to Rp700 billion. This is stated in the Regulation of minister of industry No. 65 in 2016 on the Terms and procedure for Calculation of the Value of the Domestic Component Level of Products Cellular Phones, Handheld Computers (Handheld) and Tablet Computers.
