Smoother, faster, sharper: iQOO CEO Nipun Marya on what makes iQOO 16 a ‘true flagship’

Over the years, iQOO has built its reputation around performance-centric offerings across segments, with its number series combining flagship experiences. Now at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, the company announced it will launch its premium iQOO 16 phone in India. At the sidelines of the event, iQOO CEO Nipun Marya told Business Today that with iQOO 16 it plans to bring a “true flagship” experience.

Marya confirmed that beyond flagship performance, the iQOO 16 excels in other areas, including design, camera, battery,y and software, and that buyers won’t have to compromise on any front.

Must read: IMC 2026: Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 to power three next-generation flagships from iQOO, Motorola, and Xiaomi

iQOO brings a ‘true flagship’ experience

The iQOO 16 will be powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Extreme processor, which the company claims to have the fastest mobile CPU available today. “If you’re buying the iQOO 16, you’re actually buying the fastest mobile CPU which is available in the world right now,” Marya said.

Alongside a powerful chipset, Marya confirmed to Business Today that the iQOO 16 will feature a Samsung M16 panel with 2K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, calling it the “most advanced display on a smartphone right now.” He further highlighted that the display brings notable improvements over the previous generation for gaming, video, and everyday scrolling.

On the software side, the iQOO 16 will ship with OriginOS 7 based on Android 17. Marya says the update brings noticeable gains in smoothness and seamless connectivity. “There is a drastic difference in the experience of OriginOS 7,” he added.

Big battery, but no thermal trade-off

While Marya did not quote the exact battery mAh, he revealed that the iQOO 16 packs a battery of more than 8,000mAh. Despite the massive battery, the smartphone is extremely lightweight, and it is expected to be in the 220-gram range, as felt during an exclusive demo. Even so, the phone looks relatively slim for its battery size.

Must read: From reactive to proactive AI: Qualcomm’s Sumit Sonal lays out vision for on-device agentic AI in India

When asked about balancing speed, battery life, and heat, Marya said, “They’re all extremely interlinked, like the legs of a chair. You can’t have one leg smaller than the other.” Therefore, if any one factor is underplayed, the overall experience suffers, he added. However, he emphasised that sustained performance with efficient thermal management is a key focus.

iQOO 16 have an exceptional camera?

Since iQOO 12, the brand has been moving forward from its gaming identity to offering a more well-rounded flagship experience. Therefore, irrespective of performance, the iQOO 16 also focuses on offering an advanced camera system. Marya told Business Today that the iQOO 16 ships with an advanced camera system. While he did not get into specifics, he said: “You will see exceptional performance when it comes to the camera system.” He further highlighted that the iQOO 16 camera is built around low-light scenes, action photography, and portrait mode.

iQOO 16 price expectation and global memory chip crisis

When asked about iQOO’s stance on the global memory chip crisis, Marya said, “We are part of the industry, so we are equally affected.” However, he did not quote any price point for the smartphone.

In terms of pricing and India positioning, Marya said that the iQOO 16 itself will do the talking. The iQOO 16, he said, will help the brand “cement” its place among top-tier flagship makers.

Overall, he stated that the iQOO 16 will offer “a complete flagship experience, great performance, and a great camera and OS.”