iQOO has officially confirmed the launch date of its next flagship smartphone, the iQOO 16, in China. The new premium handset will launch on September 29, and the company has already revealed some of its display and design features. The launch will position the iQOO 16 as a performance-driven flagship, especially for gaming, high-refresh rate displays and powerful hardware.
The iQOO 16 launch event will take place at 7 p.m. local time in China, which is 4:30 p.m. in India. Sales of the smartphone are expected to start shortly after the launch event in the Chinese market. However, iQOO has not yet announced the launch date in India for the device or an Indian price for the device.
The iQOO 16 display is one of the major highlights of the phone. Samsung has confirmed that the smartphone will get a 2K resolution Samsung AMOLED panel with 165Hz refresh rate. If positioned as advertised, the display will make the iQOO 16 one of the most notable smartphones to buy for high resolution and extremely high refresh rate.
We will use Samsung’s M16 luminescent material and support iQOO’s LEAD 2.0 display technology. According to the company, the screen can reach up to 2,800 nits of peak brightness across the display, while local peak brightness can reportedly reach as high as 10,000 nits. Such brightness levels are aimed to improve visibility in demanding lighting conditions.
The handset will also support high-frequency PWM dimming as high as 3,300Hz. iQOO has placed a lot of emphasis on the gaming capabilities of the display and touch-response technology is also being featured at the launch time. The 165Hz refresh rate, touch responsiveness and 2K resolution could make this display one of the key selling points of the phone.
iQOO 16 Has Three New Colours!
iQOO has announced three colour options for the new flagship. These are Chasing Light, Legendary and Racing Track, with the names translated from the Chinese versions announced by the company.
The Chasing Light edition has a silver base with a laser holographic finish which creates red and blue light effects across the rear panel. The Legendary version has a white finish and uses a special electroplating process to give the handset a distinctive appearance.
The Racing Track version is darker than the original and the purple accents are inspired by Formula 1 racing cars. The design would be particularly attractive to users wanting a more aggressive, performance-focused aesthetic.
The design of the rear camera has also been updated. The iQOO 16 is expected to have a square-shaped camera module with three rear cameras. iQOO has teased a new structure around the camera module that has been described in translations as a “robotic arm” design. The company is expected to introduce camera improvements compared to the previous generation.
iQOO 16 Processor And Battery
While iQOO has announced some features, the company has not yet disclosed all specifications ahead of the September 29 launch. We have seen earlier listings of a flagship Snapdragon 8-series processor, but the exact chipset should be announced at the launch event.
Battery capacity is another major area of interest. The iQOO 16 will be equipped with a very large 7,500mAh battery, with 100W wired charging as well. If this is the case, then the device will have a large battery capacity but would still be capable of flagship-level charging.
Other reported specifications include a 6.85-inch display, a triple rear camera system consisting of three 50-megapixel sensors and a 50-megapixel front camera. These specifications are all reported and should be treated as tentative until the company officially confirms them.
The software experience will also get an upgrade. The iQOO 16 could run Android 17 with OriginOS in China. However, the final software configuration and additional AI or gaming features are likely to be detailed during the launch presentation.
iQOO Pad Ultra Also Launching
The iQOO 16 will not be the only product unveiled at the September 29 event. iQOO has also confirmed the launch of the iQOO Pad Ultra tablet in China.
The tablet has already been teased with a built-in cooling fan. This indicates that iQOO is positioning the Pad Ultra as a performance-focused tablet, maybe for gaming and demanding productivity workloads.
With the smartphone and tablet arriving at the same event, iQOO seems to be preparing a broader flagship product launch for the Chinese market. Pricing, configurations, processor options and availability are expected to be announced during the event.
For the iQOO 16, the focus will be on its 165Hz 2K AMOLED display, large reported battery, gaming-oriented features and redesigned camera module. The September 29 launch should be where we will have the rest of the details, the processor confirmed, full camera specifications, storage options and the pricing.
And Indian customers will have to wait for a separate announcement about local availability. For now, the Chinese launch will offer the first full look at iQOO’s latest flagship and its approach to combining high-end performance, display technology and battery capacity in a single smartphone.
