iQOO 16 could cost 37% higher than iQOO 15 in India; tipster suggests

Looks like the iQOO 16 is making moves toward India, but the price might be the real story. The phone just launched in China a few days ago (late September 2026) starting at CNY 5,999. That’s roughly ₹86,000 or about $894 for the base model.

Now a tipster on X says the device has already started testing in India, which usually means a local launch is on the cards in the next few weeks. The same source reckons the Indian price could climb closer to ₹1,00,000 (around $1,039). That’s a pretty big jump from the iQOO 15, which opened at ₹72,999 last year, and it might stretch the brand’s “premium but still good value” reputation.

On paper the phone is stacked. You’re looking at a 6.85″ Samsung M16 AMOLED panel with 1440×3168 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness that hits 10,000 nits. Inside sits Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and storage options of 256GB, 512GB or a full 1TB.

The camera trio is all 50MP: main with OIS, periscope telephoto with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and an ultrawide with autofocus, plus a 32MP selfie camera. Battery is a hefty 8,400mAh that supports 100W wired and 40W wireless charging. Software side it’s Android 17 running OriginOS 7.

From the China launch we already know it has IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. Multiple colours and configs are available, and the higher storage versions push the Chinese price up further.

For Indian buyers the mix of top-tier performance, a seriously bright high-refresh screen, strong battery life and a capable camera setup is tempting. But if it really lands near the one-lakh mark, expectations (and the competition) will be a lot higher than what previous iQOO phones had to deal with.

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