RAWALPINDI: The prices of non-PTA and PTA-approved iPhone 16 series models have dropped to their lowest levels in Pakistan since their global launch, following Apple’s recent unveiling of the iPhone 17.
Apple, the Cupertino-based tech giant, officially announced the iPhone 17 lineup on September 9 and confirmed that it would be available globally from September 19. The development has triggered a sharp price drop in the iPhone 16 series in Pakistan’s local markets, particularly for the higher-end variants.
This fall in prices is mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, the release of the iPhone 17 has naturally reduced demand for last year’s models. Secondly, Apple has kept the starting prices of the new iPhone 17 series almost the same as the iPhone 16 series prices at the time of launch, contrary to expectations of a significant price hike.
With minimal difference between the international launch prices of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17, most Apple enthusiasts now see little reason to buy a year-old device when a newer one is available for nearly the same cost.
Pakistani buyers still love iPhones
Although iPhones are neither manufactured nor officially sold in Pakistan, they remain a status symbol for many buyers who can afford them. Local mobile phone dealers and notable distributors import these devices and sell them in markets across the country.
A survey of several major mobile markets in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi revealed that the iPhone 16 series has seen one of its steepest price cuts so far, especially in PTA-approved variants. PTA-approved phones are those on which import duties and taxes have been paid and are officially cleared for use in Pakistan. This makes them more desirable than non-PTA or JV (SIM-locked) iPhones, which are often cheaper but require additional approval costs before they can be used on local networks.
Among the various models, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has seen the biggest drop. This has affected prices of all versions, including non-PTA, JV, and especially PTA-approved models. Many shop owners say that sales have slowed down sharply in recent weeks, pushing them to lower prices to clear remaining stock before iPhone 17 shipments arrive.
Steep drops in Pro Max prices
The most popular variant, the iPhone 16 Pro Max (256 GB), which was initially introduced by Mercantile, a known Apple product distributor in Pakistan, at Rs540,500, is now available for as low as Rs430,000 in some local markets.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro Max (512 GB) is being sold for as low as Rs510,000. This means that even the 512 GB variant is now over Rs30,000 cheaper than the initial launch price of the 256 GB version earlier this year.
Similarly, base models of the iPhone 16 series have also become significantly cheaper. According to mobile shop owners, the iPhone 16 (128 GB) is currently available for around Rs297,000, while the 256 GB version is being sold for as low as Rs336,000.
Dealers believe this is one of the best times to buy a PTA-approved iPhone 16 series phone in Pakistan, as the prices have hit their lowest level since September 2024.
Why iPhone 17 prices will stay high initially
However, despite the relatively stable international launch prices of the iPhone 17 series, local shopkeepers warn that the new models are likely to be very expensive in Pakistan during their first few months.
Due to the lack of an official Apple Store in the country, limited initial availability, and heavy import duties, early buyers usually have to pay premium rates. Prices often remain inflated until distributors like Mercantile begin importing PTA-approved stock and selling it with local warranties, which can take several weeks to months.
A mobile phone shop owner in Rawalpindi told this correspondent that the price of even the non-PTA iPhone 17 models could go as high as Rs700,000 during the initial weeks of availability, especially for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the newly introduced iPhone 17 Air.
“Those who can afford it and don’t want to wait will happily pay Rs700,000 just to get the latest iPhone 17 first,” he said.
Some buyers wait months for better deals
Many long-time iPhone users in Pakistan are well aware of this pricing trend and prefer to wait a few months before buying the new models.
Abdul Hannan, a software engineer based in Islamabad and an iPhone user since the iPhone 3GS, said that since 2021, iPhone prices in Pakistan have followed the same pattern: extremely high from September to February, and then gradually falling over the next few months.
“Shopkeepers know they can demand any price they want during the first few weeks because people are desperate to get the new iPhone. Many pay just to show off that they have it first,” Hannan said.
He added that he personally waits for at least three to four months before buying a new iPhone. “Every time, the price comes down, but it takes patience. A colleague of mine bought a non-PTA iPhone 15 Pro Max in for Rs700,000 in the first week of its launch just because he wanted to be the first in our group to own the Natural Titanium iPhone,” he recalled.
Hannan believes the same situation will likely play out again this year, with extremely high prices for the iPhone 17 series during the initial launch period and a gradual decline over time.
For now, however, the price drop in the iPhone 16 series has created an opportunity for buyers who do not necessarily need the latest model but still want a premium Apple device at a lower price.
With the iPhone 17 just around the corner and its prices expected to remain high in the coming months, shopkeepers believe this is possibly the best time in the past year to get a PTA-approved iPhone 16 at a relatively reasonable cost in Pakistan.