India’s premium smartphone market is set to see 2 new flagship models, with iQOO confirming the India launch of the iQOO 16 and Motorola showcasing its upcoming Signature 27 at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 in New Delhi. Both smartphones will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset, built on a 2nm process. While iQOO has confirmed the software for its upcoming device, Motorola has revealed key details about its cameras, audio and long-term software support. Pricing and availability details for both phones remain unannounced.
iQOO 16 India launch confirmed
iQOO has confirmed that the iQOO 16 will launch in India soon, following its debut in China in September. The Indian variant will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 Mobile Platform, featuring a next-generation Qualcomm Hexagon NPU for AI-powered capabilities.
The iQOO 16 will be the brand’s 1st smartphone to ship with OriginOS 7 pre-installed. The operating system is expected to include productivity tools and intelligent features. The company has not yet announced the India launch date, price or complete specifications, although the phone is expected to retain several key features of its Chinese version.
Motorola Signature 27 specifications revealed
Motorola showcased the Signature 27 at IMC 2026 and confirmed its upcoming India launch. Along with the Snapdragon chipset, the phone will feature an ArcticMesh Cooling System and a 6-antenna setup designed to improve network reception and connectivity.
Its camera system will include a 50-megapixel Sony LYTIA 910 main sensor and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. The setup will support 3.5-axis optical image stabilisation, Qualcomm Electronic Image Stabilisation and Motorola’s Video Enhancement Engine to improve image and video stability.
Motorola claims the Signature 27 will be the 1st smartphone to feature Audio by Bang & Olufsen. It will also include Google Gemini integration and run Android 17. The company has promised 7 years of operating system upgrades and 7 years of security updates.
The phone will be available in 2 Pantone-certified finishes: Coal Smoke and Capulet Olive. More details, including its launch date, are expected in the coming days.
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