iPhone 16 fails to match popularity of older models in Pakistan due to high prices

LAHORE: The recently introduced flagship iPhone 16 by Apple is not performing as well as earlier iPhone models in Pakistan, primarily due to its high price.

Despite the absence of an official Apple store in the country, and Apple not directly selling its products such as iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks in Pakistan, some companies and local retailers import these products and sell them in markets and online stores.

This leads to a significant price difference every time an iPhone is launched, with the price in Pakistan being considerably higher than what Apple sets globally. One major reason is that Pakistani buyers must pay for PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) approval charges to make their phones eligible for SIM usage. These approval charges for the latest models can be as high as Rs190,000.

A retailer at Hafeez Centre, Lahore, who imports new iPhones annually, revealed that the iPhone 16 is not selling as well as previous models. Another shopkeeper noted that every year, sales of imported phones like Apple’s are declining due to rising prices.

When asked about the price disparity, a shopkeeper explained that importing iPhones is a complicated process. Importers face significant challenges and must pay heavy duties on these luxury products, leading to much higher prices than those originally set by Apple.

Even JV iPhones, which are cheaper than non-PTA approved iPhones, are seeing less interest from buyers who previously sought flagship phones at a lower price. A mobile seller at Singapore Plaza, Saddar, Rawalpindi, noted that sales of the iPhone 16 JV models are noticeably lower than those of the iPhone 15, iPhone 14, and iPhone 13 JV models.

For reference, a PTA-approved iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) costs around Rs540,500 in Pakistan, while a non-PTA-approved version costs Rs420,000, and the JV version is available for as low as Rs280,000.

Despite this significant price difference, many buyers are avoiding the JV models this year. This may indicate a growing belief that JV iPhones, which are considered illegal, should not be purchased, or it could simply reflect the unaffordability of the iPhone 16 JV models.

Some mobile sellers mentioned that people are still considering older JV models like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15, as they are cheaper. Currently, sellers of JV iPhones offer the iPhone 15 Pro Max for as low as Rs215,000, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max JV is being sold for Rs180,000.

The high price of the iPhone 16 seems to be making consumers question the wisdom of spending nearly Rs300,000 on an illegal phone that cannot even operate a SIM card and may be blocked by Apple in the future.

JV phones are cheaper because they are “factory locked” or blacklisted by the company from which they were bought. These phones may have been stolen or purchased on instalments that were not paid in full, which is why JV or Gevey phones are considered illegal.

About a year ago, there were reports that the government was planning to crack down on JV phones, but no such action has been taken yet. As of today, many store owners are still selling JV iPhones both in the market and on platforms like OLX, Instagram, and Facebook.

It is not recommended to buy JV iPhones due to these risks. It’s better to opt for PTA-approved and duty-paid devices if affordable, or to consider older iPhone models instead of risking a JV purchase.

Latest prices for PTA-approved iPhone 16 models in Pakistan (December 2024):

Read next: Oil prices dip as OPEC+ delays supply increases amid weak demand