The much-anticipated Apple iPhone 16 series has landed in Pakistan with a storm of complaints instead of excitement. Buyers of the iPhone 16 Pro Max and other variants say their brand-new devices are freezing during phone calls and while checking messages — rendering them completely unresponsive at critical moments.
For customers who paid more than Rs. 600,000 for PTA-approved iPhones, the experience has been frustrating and humiliating. A survey conducted in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad found dozens of owners reporting that their phones turn into “a useless brick” whenever an incoming call or message appears.
One furious Islamabad customer said:
“I bought the Pro Max thinking I was upgrading to the best in the world, but it freezes on me at the most critical moments. I feel cheated.”
Complaints pile up at Karachi’s Apple Shop
A major share of complaints is coming from The Apple Shop in Star City Mall, Saddar Karachi, where customers say they have been left stranded with malfunctioning devices. Vendors, however, refuse to take responsibility, insisting they only sell sealed imported units and cannot be held accountable for internal faults.
Distributors passing the buck
The official distributor, Mercantile, has also frustrated buyers. Customers say they were repeatedly asked to factory reset their phones or “contact Apple helpline.” But with Apple having no direct service presence in Pakistan, the helpline offers little to no resolution.
In some cases, Mercantile representatives even blamed local telecom networks such as Telenor. But users point out that the same SIMs work seamlessly in older iPhone models, exposing the flaw in that argument.
An Islamabad buyer explained:
“They told me to change my SIM, but when I put it in my old iPhone 14 Pro Max, it worked perfectly. The problem is the new device, not the network.”
Issue extends beyond Pakistan
The freezing issue is not limited to Pakistani buyers. Reports on Reddit show users in other countries facing similar problems. Many said their iPhone 16 only freezes when receiving calls from other iPhone users, while normal calls work fine. Even Apple’s official support channels reportedly could not resolve the matter.
One Reddit user shared:
“I already reset network settings, toggled airplane mode, and updated to the latest iOS. Apple support couldn’t help either.”
No help from PTA
Some frustrated Pakistani buyers even approached the police and FIA, only to be directed to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). However, the regulator — which collects huge amounts of tax on imported iPhones, sometimes over 25% of the device price — has so far remained silent on the matter.
Consumers argue that PTA has a responsibility to intervene, as custodian of the telecom sector, to safeguard buyers from such crises.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment.