iQOO 16 arrives with a better display than Samsung's own S26 Ultra

By: Anton Kratiuk | today, 15:32

iQOO is about to launch a phone that makes flagship Android look expensive. The iQOO 16, confirmed for a late September 2026 China release, pairs what's reportedly a better display panel than the Galaxy S26 Ultra with a 8,500mAh battery — roughly 50% larger than most top-tier phones on the market right now. If the specs hold, this is the first genuine two-day flagship from a major manufacturer.

The display claim

The screen is where things get genuinely interesting. iQOO 16 uses a flat 6.85-inch 2K OLED panel running at 165Hz — nothing unusual there. What stands out is the material: SammyGuru reports that iQOO 16 is the first phone to use Samsung Display's M16 panel material, which offers improved brightness and efficiency over the M14 used in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung's own flagship, in other words, ships with the older tech.

The specs

Under the hood sits Qualcomm's next-generation chip, currently referred to as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro — a 2nm processor that won't be officially announced until Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit on September 22. iQOO has secured an exclusive early launch window. The phone also carries a USB 3.2 port, which means genuinely fast data transfers rather than just good benchmark numbers.

Camera hardware looks credible rather than padded. Three 50MP sensors make up the rear system: a main shooter with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, a periscope telephoto at 3x optical zoom built on the Sony IMX 882, and an ultra-wide. A 32MP camera handles selfies. Nokia Power User confirms 100x digital zoom via the periscope module — a sign iQOO is pushing well beyond its gaming-phone roots.

The 8,500mAh battery supports 100W wired and 40W wireless charging. Most flagships, including the iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro, sit between 4,700 and 5,100mAh. The gap is significant.

Availability

Here's the problem for US and UK buyers: iQOO has no official retail presence in either market. No Amazon.co.uk listing, no carrier deals, no confirmed pricing outside China, where the base 12GB/256GB model is expected to start around $730 per MyScreenPad. Grey imports are possible, but warranty coverage and software support — iQOO runs OriginOS — remain question marks. An official Western launch has not been announced.