OnePlus 16 launched in China on October 12, 2026 — and it’s the first phone confirmed to ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. That chip is built on a 2nm process, paired with LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. The phone also packs a 6,428mm² vapour chamber, gaming-specific silicon like the Fengchi Game Core and Lingxi Touch Chip T3, and an 800Hz gyroscope. Its 6.78-inch BOE X4 LTPO OLED display hits up to 185Hz in China, supports 2,000-nit HBM and 3,840Hz PWM dimming, and is covered by OPPO Crystal Shield Glass. Bezels are just 1.15mm. The triple rear camera includes a 200MP Samsung HPE main sensor (1/1.4″, OIS), a 50MP OV50D ultra-wide (1/2.88″), and a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscope telephoto (1/1.95″, 3X optical at 73mm). A 50MP Sony JN5 handles selfies. Battery capacity is 9,000mAh, the largest ever in a mainstream flagship. With 100W wired, 50W wireless, and reverse charging options. It carries IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings. Runs ColorOS 17 on Android 17. Starts at CNY 5,999 (₹85,946) for 12GB + 256GB. No global launch planned. Tipster Yogesh Brar has repeatedly flagged that the OnePlus 16 will remain China-exclusive, and that Indian buyers will instead get the OnePlus 16R, currently in Production Validation Test (PVT) stage. That model is tipped to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, not Gen 6, and features a triple 50MP rear setup with dedicated telephoto, a 165Hz display, and a battery larger than 7,500mAh. IQOO 16 also launched in China. On September 29, with the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip. It has a 6.85-inch 2K 165Hz OLED display, 8,400mAh battery, 100W wired and 40W wireless charging, and triple 50MP cameras. IQOO CEO Nipun Marya confirmed it will launch in India. At India Mobile Congress 2026. IMC runs October 17–19 in New Delhi. No Indian pricing or configuration details have been shared yet. Neither OnePlus nor iQOO has announced US availability. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 is now real, and its debut is entirely China-first.