Highlights
- The upcoming iQOO 16R may launch globally as the iQOO 16s as per latest leak.
- The device has been spotted on Malaysia’s certification website as the iQOO 16s after earlier appearances on the EEC, GSMA IMEI, and Indonesia’s TKDN databases as the iQOO 16R.
- The phone is also said to be a rebranded version of the China-exclusive iQOO Z12 Turbo though no official details have been confirmed yet.
It appears iQOO 16 series could include a new naming strategy in the global markets. A new listing on Malaysia’s certification website has revealed a smartphone carrying the iQOO 16s moniker even though its model number is linked to the rumoured iQOO 16R.
The smartphone with model number I2606 has already appeared on several certification platforms including the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), GSMA IMEI and Indonesia’s TKDN databases. While those listings associated it with the iQOO 16R, the latest Malaysian certification identifies it as the iQOO 16s.
iQOO 16s Appears on Malaysian Certification Website
The Malaysian certification listing dated November 5 identifies model number I2606 as the iQOO 16s. The same model number had previously surfaced on the EEC and GSMA IMEI databases under the iQOO 16R name. It was also spotted on Indonesia’s TKDN certification platform.
The shared model number suggests that the iQOO 16R and iQOO 16s could be two names for the same smartphone. However, this is not confirmed yet and the certification listing does not reveal any hardware specifications.
The naming is also interesting because iQOO did not introduce an iQOO 15s in Malaysia. The iQOO 16s name could be also regional branding strategy but there is no official confirmation as of now.
iQOO 16R Expected Specifications and Features
Although iQOO has not revealed anything about the upcoming phone, earlier leaks have offered some clues about what to expect from the iQOO 16R.
The smartphone is tipped to be a rebranded version of the China-exclusive iQOO Z12 Turbo. It is expected to feature a next-generation Snapdragon chipset with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Pro mentioned in leaks.
Notably, these processors have not been officially released by Qualcomm yet and it remains unclear whether these names refer to separate chipsets or the same platform.
The iQOO 16R is tipped to support a 165Hz refresh rate compared to the iQOO 15 120Hz panel, which can reach 144Hz in supported games. However, these details are mostly early rumours and should be considered with a pinch of salt until the brand announces.
Will iQOO 16R Launch in India?
There is currently no official confirmation about the iQOO 16R or iQOO 16s launch timeline in any market at the moment. However, an India launch is possible since the predecessor iQOO 15R was also introduced in the region.
As of now, it is unclear if iQOO will use the 16R name in India or it will introduce the 16s in select markets. We will have to wait for official confirmation to know more.
