4 min read
Reports of a critical flaw in the newly launched Mercantile iPhone 16 series have left Pakistani consumers frustrated and helpless. Reports indicate that the warranty does not cover the issue, leaving owners of the expensive flagship device with no recourse.
Multiple first-hand reports on social media detail a growing crisis for buyers who feel duped by a faulty product and abandoned by both official and local vendors, and regulatory authorities.
Mercantile iPhone 16 Buyers Feel Cheated
Some complained that even though they ordered an official PTA-approved iPhone from Mercantile, their phones do not show so. One reddit comment said:
“My friend also bought the iPhone 16 Pro Max PTA approved 2-3 weeks ago. It was the same thing with him that his iPhone was not showing up as PTA approved but the seller (who is trustworthy) said the same thing.”
Another chipped in:
“A cousin purchased iPhone which supposedly had a Mercantile sticker on it and was sold as PTA approved. Now when I checked it, there was no PTA approval for it and asked to generate PSID. I told the cousin who said no it is PTA approved.
When he reached out to the shopkeeper, he claimed not to worry and that this indeed is PTA approved. That he should insert SIM in it and wait a week, it will show up as PTA approved. But I don’t think this was sold as PTA approved, they just wait till customer realizes and if asked, will pay for it themselves? I don’t know.”
The most heavily and prevalent complaint remained the random screen freezes. In this regard, a Reddit user pointed out the following:
“This is happening to me as well. I went to the Apple Store today and they tested the hardware and said that everything is fine and there should be some bug fixes that come out to address it.”
What Are Pakistani Users Going Through
For Pakistani users, the lack of an official Apple presence in the country complicates matters. Mercantile Pacific, a Singapore-based company, was appointed as Apple’s authorized distributor for Pakistan in 2019. Since then, Mercantile Pakistan has been the official channel for providing genuine, PTA-approved Apple products to the Pakistani market.
This partnership was designed to ensure that Pakistani consumers have access to authentic Apple devices, complete with an official warranty. However, Mercantile and other local vendors refuse to take responsibility, instead redirecting buyers to Apple Support, which does not operate in Pakistan. Naturally, people feel cheated, as they have paid over $2,000 or PKR 600,000 for these phones. Vendors claim that since the phones arrive sealed, they are not responsible for internal hardware or software defects. Using a non-PTA device is also no remedy for this issue as using those phones lead to penalties by the government, most often in the form of blocking SIM cards.
Mercantile iPhone 16 Glitches: What’s Going On
On deeper inspection, analysts found that the problems are software-related, which is more bad news for Pakistani users. But the good news is that multiple reports suggest the screen glitches that freeze home and call screens affect both domestic and international models and do not remain limited to Pakistan.
Users generally report that their phones freeze, sometimes for minutes, when they receive or make calls, particularly to other iPhone users. The phones also do not work with SIM cards since the PTA-approval usually takes more than a fortnight to work. Issues like these render the device useless during critical moments, which is a significant drawback for a premium smartphone that costs hundreds of thousands of rupees in Pakistan.
Desperate customers have escalated their complaints to law enforcement, including the police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), but authorities redirected them to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
However, the PTA, which collects heavy taxes on all imported phones, has remained conspicuously silent. Consumers argue that as the beneficiary of these exorbitant import taxes, the PTA has a responsibility to protect buyers and ensure a functional product.
Apple Support has not addressed the issue so far. Nor has Mercantile Pakistan provided TechJuice any official explanation for the iPhone 16 freeze glitches when contacted.
