Why is the Apple Store so eagerly awaited in Indonesia?

The public is looking forward to the presence of the Apple Store in Indonesia. Will it be answered by Tim Cook's visit to Indonesia?

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

Visitors arrive at Apple Store Orchard Singapore, Saturday (20/1/2024).

Until now, Apple Store does not yet exist in Indonesia. It is natural that Apple CEO Tim Cook's visit to Indonesia on Wednesday (17/4/2024) was greeted enthusiastically. His visit raised public hopes that official Apple outlets could soon be present in Indonesia.

So, why is the Apple Store really awaited in Indonesia?

Heavy rain poured down on the Orchard area in Singapore on Saturday (20/1/2024) afternoon. This caused many people to seek refuge in the retail center's buildings, which are a paradise for shopping enthusiasts. The Apple Store in Orchard was not spared by visitors.

On the first floor, various products, such as iPhones (smartphones), iPads (electronic tablets), MacBooks (laptops) and Apple Watches (smartwatches), are displayed on long tables. Don't forget the various accessories, from cables, watch straps, to headphones.

Visitors are trying out the products displayed on the table. Some are sliding the display on the screen. There are also those who take selfies. If they need clarification about the product, several Apple Store staff are available. The desired products can be paid for and taken home immediately.

Not only old releases, Apple's newest products that are not yet sold in Indonesia can now be tried out. For example, the MacBook Pro M3. Laptops with third generation chips made by Apple will only be sold by Apple's official re-sellers in Indonesia in mid-February 2024.

Also read: Apple CEO Meets President Jokowi, Indonesia Pushes for Addition of Apple Academy

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

Customer service officers at the Genius Bar (in red shirts) serve visitors who are checking their Apple devices for damages at the Apple Store Orchard in Singapore, on Saturday (20/1/2024).

After being satisfied looking at Apple products on the first floor, a number of visitors went up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, staff members holding iPads were waiting and greeted each visitor who arrived.

If previously they have made a promise, they will use an iPad to scan the barcode that visitors have received through electronic messages. Once it is time for service, they will directly guide visitors to customer service personnel. Even without an appointment, visitors can still enter that area.

During a visit to Apple Store Orchard in January, Kompas also had the opportunity to try customer service. The appointment was scheduled several days in advance.

Scheduling for the service called Genius Bar is not difficult. Simply contact Apple Support through the official Apple website and explain the issue with the device being used.

Afterwards, they will schedule a day and time for the visit and send a barcode that will be brought to the Apple Store. This scheduling is not only for devices still under warranty, but also those that have expired their warranty.

Also read: Without the Domestic Component Industry, Apple's Assembly Factory Will Be Wasted

AFP/GETTY IMAGES/SCOTT OLSON

The iPhone 15 series is on display at the Apple Store Chicago, Illinois, March 2024.

Kompas intends to claim a guarantee for damage to the MacBook Air M1 device cable. The damage occurred one month after purchase. “Can I scan the barcode for the appointment?” said Jonathan, Apple Store Orchard technician, that afternoon.

After reading the information on his iPad screen, Jonathan immediately checked the damaged cable. He did so with his own device and that of the visitors. "Yes, it is indeed broken. Please wait a moment," said Jonathan as he walked away.

In less than five minutes, Jonathan had returned with a new cable. He then tried it on the visitor's MacBook and the one belonging to the Apple Store. "Ok, this one works," he said briefly.

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He then entered the digital form on the iPad and handed it over, requesting a digital signature. After finishing, he smiled and said everything was taken care of. There was no need to pay for the new cable worth 22.9 Singapore dollars or around IDR 270,000. The product is still under warranty, so everything is free.

Before serving other waiting visitors, Jonathan invited them to participate in "Today at Apple" activities. That day, there was a photography class that was free for visitors who wanted to learn and maximize the camera features of their iPhone device.

Apple class atmosphere at Apple Store Orchard Singapore, Saturday (20/1/2024).

After sales service

In order to receive fast after-sales service, many Apple users in the country choose to fly to Singapore, often as a chance to go on vacation as well. Aside from Singapore, there are official Apple stores in Southeast Asia located in Thailand. As of January 2024, Apple has more than 500 official stores worldwide.

Actually, without having to go to Singapore, the warranty can still be claimed in Indonesia. Apple partners in the country provide that service. However, in various forums, Indonesian Apple users often complain about the lengthy claim process. According to them, warranty claims through Apple partners are not as fast as at the Apple Store.

So, it is natural that Tim Cook's arrival was greeted enthusiastically by "Apple fan boys", the term for fans of Apple products. They then linked it to the possibility of the presence of an Apple Store in Indonesia.

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This is evident from Tim Cook's post on platform X, which is flooded with comments from Indonesian users. Tim uploaded a photo of himself taking a picture with one of Apple's users in Indonesia.

"Hello Indonesia, how are you? Enjoying chicken satay with iPhone photographer Sofyan Pratama is the perfect way to start a visit to Jakarta. We can't wait to meet more creative communities and Apple developers here," wrote the team.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in Indonesia and is scheduled to meet President Joko Widodo, Wednesday (17/4/2024), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Tim Cook's post has been viewed by 2.2 million users, received more than 1,000 comments, and has been shared 3,600 times. Indonesian netizens also don't want to be left out. Of course, most are asking Tim to bring the Apple Store to Jakarta. "Let's have an Apple Store in Jakarta," wrote the account @kaptenamerikka.

Previously, rumors of the arrival of an Apple Store were circulating strongly. Furthermore, Indonesian netizens associated it with Apple's latest iPhone ad, the iPhone 15 series, which is becoming increasingly widespread on social media, various video platforms, and television.

In addition, since December 2023, the Cupertino-based company from the United States has also opened job vacancies for Indonesia through its official website. This further strengthens the suspicion of the imminent arrival of an Apple Store.

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Contacted separately, one of the Apple fans in Indonesia and the founder of the @appleisme platform, Bagus Hernawan, said that there are various benefits that Apple users can get if the Apple Store is present in Indonesia.

"Firstly, users can purchase the latest products on the global launch day. So, if it is sold today in America, Europe, Japan and elsewhere, it will also be sold in Indonesia if there is an Apple Store," said Bagus.

Arif Budi Utomo (35), checks his cellphone at the Warming Cell shop in Mataram, Monday (25/3/2024).

Similar to the MacBook Pro M3, that Apple device can certainly be obtained quickly by users. This includes the most popular device, the iPhone, which will enter its 16th series in September.

In Indonesia, the latest iPhone usually becomes available two to three months after its launch in September, around November-December. This causes many Apple fans in Indonesia to have to fly to Singapore if they are not patient enough to wait.

"The other benefits are faster repair services and warranty claims. Customers can also enjoy Apple product customization services on its website, special prices for students, Today At Apple, return policies, and trade-ins," said Bagus.

Apart from users, Bagus said, Apple will certainly further strengthen the market because it will open up the potential for new customers.

Also read: ”Apple Fanboy” at the Android Ruling Party

The addition of new customers is certainly very important, especially amidst the decline in shipments of Apple's iPhone smartphones. In the first quarter of 2024, iPhone shipments fell by 9.6 percent compared to the same period in 2023. This is thought to be influenced by increased competition from other smartphone brands, especially from China.

According to a research report by consumer market intelligence firm, IDC, which was officially released on Monday (15/4/2024), Apple shipped 50.1 million units of iPhone brand cellphones in the first quarter of 2024. Quoting Bloomberg, shipments in volume were far below the average analyst data collected by Bloomberg, namely 51.7 million cellphone units (Kompas.id, 17 April 2024) .

CEO of Apple, Tim Cook (center) accompanied by the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Budi Arie Setiadi (right) and the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita (left), gave a press statement after meeting with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/4/2024).

However, Bagus cannot confirm whether the Apple Store will actually be present in Indonesia. Moreover, there is a policy regarding brand owners who cannot sell directly, but must work with official partners in Indonesia.

However, according to Bagus, Apple can still do a number of things if they are still unable to present an official store. For example, adding or completing services that have not been available to Indonesian users thus far.

"For example, Apple's payment system (Apple Pay), Apple maps that support traffic information, ultra wideband for AirTag (Apple tracking device), Apple Book Store, and AppleCaret+ (Apple's warranty extension service)," said Good.

As reported, Tim Cook met with President Joko Widodo on Wednesday afternoon at the Istana Merdeka. Communication and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said before the meeting at the Istana Merdeka on Wednesday morning that this step is an effort by the country to attract investment and attention from big players in information technology, including the industry.

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, who will also attend the meeting, said that by 2023, mobile phone production in Indonesia will reach 50 million units, with imports totaling 2.79 million units. Of those import numbers, 80 percent are Apple phones.

AFP

The enthusiasm of visitors ahead of the opening of the Apple Store in Sanghai, China, in March 2024.

Therefore, Indonesia is interested in creating added value. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has had a regulation since 2021 stating that 35 percent of mobile phone, computer, and tablet products in Indonesia must have 35 percent domestic components. And, Apple has a unique way of calculating the level of domestic components, namely based on investment in building developer education infrastructure through the Apple Developer Academy.

Apple has the obligation to build four academies, namely in Bali, Batam, Surabaya, and South Tangerang. The total investment value reaches Rp 1.6 trillion.

Agus said, together with the Ministry of Communication and Information, they would ask Apple to build something similar in Makassar and the capital of the archipelago. Including encouraging Apple to build a factory in Indonesia (Kompas, 17 April 2024).

So far, aside from that discussion, the opening of an Apple Store in the country has not been mentioned. However, given Apple's journey and various investments in Indonesia, it is not impossible. It only remains for Apple enthusiasts to be patient for some time. Happy waiting!