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iQOO 16 May Not Launch in India as Rising Component Prices Impact Plans; Only One Z Series Phone Tipped

iQOO 16 May Not Launch in India as Rising Component Prices Impact Plans; Only One Z-Series Phone Tipped

iQOO now seems to have only one budget Z-series smartphone planned for India this year.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 7 July 2026 09:43 IST

iQOO 16 May Not Launch in India as Rising Component Prices Impact Plans; Only One Z-Series Phone Tipped

iQOO recently launched the 15 Apex Edition in India

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Highlights

iQOO 16 could potentially cost over Rs. 85,000, claims tipster
The company is said to be revising its product roadmap for India
Only one Z-series phone is believed to be planned for now

iQOO's next flagship smartphone has been at the centre of several leaks in recent weeks. While the rumour mill previously suggested that the purported handset could make its way to India after debuting in its home market of China, a fresh claim indicates otherwise. According to a tipster, the iQOO 16 may not launch in India this year due to rising costs of memory components. The company is also said to have scaled back its roadmap for India.

iQOO 16 India Launch

Tipster Yogesh Brar claimed on X that the iQOO 16 is unlikely to launch in India this year. According to the tipster, increasing memory prices could push the handset's expected price beyond Rs. 85,000, which will likely make it difficult for the brand to position it competitively in the market.

We may not see iQOO 16 launch in India..

With current memory rates, iQOO 16 will cross Rs 85k

iQOO has only 1 budget Z series phone for this year, all other products have been scrapped..
— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) July 4, 2026

For context, the iQOO 15 was launched in India at a price tag of Rs. 72,999 for the base variant with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. The 16GB + 512GB variant cost Rs. 79,999 at launch. In recent months, however, skyrocketing prices of memory components have forced the brand to hike prices. As such, it currently costs Rs. 76,999 and Rs. 83,999 for the 12GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB RAM and storage configurations, respectively.

The tipster further claimed that iQOO now has only one budget Z-series smartphone planned for India this year. Meanwhile, the rest of its upcoming product lineup is said to have been shelved for the market.

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In March, Gadgets 360 exclusively reported that iQOO plans to change its usual release schedule for one of its most popular smartphone lineups in India, the Neo series. As per our sources, this move was due to the smartphone industry gradually moving towards sharper portfolio strategies as rising component costs and increasing device prices push brands to focus on clearer differentiation and value propositions.

At the time, the brand was also believed to be focusing on strengthening its flagship-led approach, concentrating on high-performance devices designed for clearly defined consumer segments.

Meanwhile, the company's affordable lineup seems to be moving ahead as planned. iQOO India CEO Nipun Marya recently teased the arrival of a new handset, which is likely to be the iQOO Z11. If accurate, then we can expect the handset to debut soon.

iQOO 15

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Brighter, smoother AMOLED display
Excellent all-round performance
Cleaner, refined software experience
Improved cameras
Solid battery life

Bad
Noticeably thick bottom bezel
Black levels are not deepest
Inconsistent low-light portraits

Read detailed iQOO 15 review

Display 6.85-inch

Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Front Camera 32-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel

RAM 12GB, 16GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

Battery Capacity 7,000mAh

OS Android 16

Resolution 1,440x3,168 pixels

More iQOO mobiles iQOO mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iQOO 16, iQOO 16 India launch, iQOO 16 Specifications, iQOO Z11

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More