Xiaomi 16 Series to Launch in China With 'Significant Changes' to Product Positioning

Xiaomi 16 series is expected to debut in China next month, as one of the first phones to feature a next-gen flagship Snapdragon chipset and the smartphone maker has revealed some details about the upcoming handsets. The company launched the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro in China in October 2024, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Xiaomi President Lu Weibing has hinted that the incoming lineup will feature major upgrades over the Xiaomi 15. Expected to launch in China by late September, the Xiaomi 16 series could be among the first to feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor. An 'Ultra' variant is also expected to join the lineup later this year.

After Xiaomi recently celebrated its 14th anniversary in China, Lu Weibing released a video looking back at some of the brand's previous flagship smartphones. At the end of the clip, the executive briefly mentioned the company's future plans and teased the upcoming Xiaomi 16 series. 

According to the executive, the next generation Xiaomi smartphone series will see 'significant changes' in both its overall identity, product definition and market positioning. Although he didn't reveal the name or specific details, his remarks are widely seen as referring to the upcoming Xiaomi 16 lineup.

Xiaomi 16 Series: What We Know So Far

The Xiaomi 16 lineup is expected to launch in September in China, while the global release may take place a few months later or in early 2026. The lineup is likely to include the base Xiaomi 16, Xiaomi 16 Pro and a new Xiaomi 16 Pro Mini variant. They are rumoured to ship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which will be announced at Qualcomm's annual Snapdragon Summit, which will take place next month.

The standard Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro Mini are tipped to come with a 6.3-inch display, while the Xiaomi 16 Pro could pack a 6.8-inch display. The vanilla model and Xiaomi 16 Pro are said to house a triple rear camera unit comprising a 50-megapixel 1/1.3-inch main camera and a 50-megapixel front camera with a wide field-of-view and support for autofocus. The vanilla Xiaomi 16 is rumoured to feature a 7,000mAh battery.

The Xiaomi 15 series was launched in China in October last year. The Xiaomi 15 was released in the Indian market in March this year alongside the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.