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Following its initial launch in China, details surrounding the iQOO 16’s arrival in India are emerging. While an official India launch date remains unconfirmed, the device is expected to arrive by the end of October 2026.
Major Hardware Upgrades
The iQOO 16 represents a substantial leap forward from its predecessor, the iQOO 15. The core of this upgrade is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset, built on a 2nm manufacturing process – an improvement over the iQOO 15’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which used a 3nm process. This is paired with LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage for enhanced performance.
The display also receives a significant overhaul. The iQOO 16 boasts a 6.85-inch Samsung M16 flat OLED panel with a 2K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. This is a step up from the iQOO 15’s Samsung M14 OLED panel, which offered a 144Hz refresh rate.
Camera and Battery Improvements
The iQOO 16 features a triple-camera system on the rear. It includes a 50MP main sensor (1/1.3-inch), a 50MP ultrawide sensor, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom. For selfies, the device offers a 32MP front-facing camera.
Powering the iQOO 16 is a larger 8,400mAh battery, a significant increase from the iQOO 15’s 7,000mAh cell. Charging capabilities remain consistent with 100W wired charging and 40W wireless charging.
Pricing and Availability
The iQOO 16 is expected to launch in India at around Rs 86,000, based on its China launch price of CNY 5,999 (approximately Rs 86,000 before taxes and import duties). The current iQOO 15 is available in India for Rs 85,999. Given the hardware improvements, potential buyers may want to consider waiting for the iQOO 16.
