Xiaomi 16 Series Launch Timeline Tipped; Could Be First Phones With Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 SoC

Xiaomi 16 series could debut soon as the successor to last year's Xiaomi 15 models. While the smartphone maker has yet to announce an official launch timeline for its next generation of premium smartphones, a fresh leak hints at the possible launch date for these handsets. The Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro are expected to be the first smartphones powered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which was recently tipped to debut as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. These handsets are said to feature a triple rear camera setup, comprising two 50-megapixel cameras.

Xiaomi 16 Series Launch Timeline (Expected)

Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo claims that the first smartphone featuring a Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) chipset will launch between September 24 and September 26. While the tipster didn't directly mention the Xiaomi 16 series, the context and follow-up comments strongly indicate that the upcoming Xiaomi 16 lineup could be the first to arrive with Qualcomm's flagship processor.

This launch window is earlier than last year's Xiaomi 15 series, which arrived in the last week of October 2024. Qualcomm is expected to announce its next flagship processor at the chipmaker's annual Snapdragon Summit, which is set to begin on September 23 in Hawaii.

Xiaomi 16 Series Specifications (Expected) 

Alongside the standard Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro, the company is reportedly planning to introduce a new Xiaomi 16 Pro Mini variant this year. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 16 Ultra is expected to debut in 2026. All models in the lineup are likely to run on Android 16, along with the company's HyperOS 3 skin.

The vanilla Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro Mini are tipped to come with a 6.3-inch screen. The Pro model could pack a 6.8-inch display. The Xiaomi 16 model and Xiaomi 16 Pro are rumoured to carry a triple rear camera unit, comprising a 50-megapixel 1/1.3-inch primary camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera with a wide field-of-view. They could pack 50-megapixel front cameras with autofocus. The Xiaomi 16 is tipped to debut with a 7,000mAh battery.