-Carlsen Martin
Qualcomm’s newest flagship smartphone chips have found their first India-bound partners, with iQOO, Motorola and Xiaomi confirming upcoming devices at India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi. The iQOO 16 and Motorola Signature 27 will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, while the Xiaomi 18 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platform.
The announcements, made on October 9, signal the next wave of premium Android phones expected in India before the end of 2026. Qualcomm is positioning both chips around faster on-device AI, improved gaming, stronger camera processing, better thermals and battery efficiency. For buyers, the bigger shift may be how these phones handle AI tasks directly on the device.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 comes to iQOO 16 and Motorola Signature 27
iQOO said the iQOO 16 will be among the first smartphones to bring the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 Mobile Platform to users. Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO, said smartphones are now central to how people work, create and connect, adding that the brand will focus on “innovation that delivers real value”.
The iQOO 16 is likely to target performance-focused users, given the brand’s usual emphasis on gaming, speed and thermal stability. While full specifications were not disclosed at IMC 2026, the use of Qualcomm’s top-end Extreme chip suggests iQOO is preparing a direct flagship contender for India’s premium Android segment.
Motorola revealed more details for the Signature 27. The phone will feature a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 910 main camera and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. It will also include audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen, Android 17 out of the box, and seven years of operating system and software updates.
Motorola said the Signature 27 will be available in Pantone Coal Smoke and Capulet Olive colour options. Shivam Ranjan, Head of Marketing, APAC, Motorola, described the device as one of the world’s first smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 platform, highlighting AI, imaging and entertainment as its key pillars.
Xiaomi 18 Pro gets Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6
Xiaomi confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Pro will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip rather than the Extreme variant. The company also highlighted a distinctive back display, indicating that Xiaomi is continuing to experiment with secondary-screen use cases on its flagship phones.
Gautam Batra, Associate Director, Product Marketing, Xiaomi India, said the Xiaomi 18 Pro combines performance with new interaction ideas, including the rear display. The phone is expected to compete in the same premium bracket, though Xiaomi has not yet shared full camera, battery or software update details.
The IMC 2026 announcements give an early view of India’s next flagship cycle. AI processing, long-term software support, advanced zoom cameras and thermal performance are set to become major selling points. Final pricing, launch dates and complete specifications will decide how these devices compare when they reach the Indian market.
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