The smartphone industry continues to face pricing pressures, and things may not get easier anytime soon. Rising memory costs and supply-side challenges have already made it hard for brands to keep prices aggressive, especially in a market like India. For iQOO, which built its reputation on powerful hardware at competitive prices, the timing is interesting. The company has completed five years in India and is now preparing to introduce its next flagship, the iQOO 16, with a slightly different approach.
The company showcased the iQOO 16 at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, where it also confirmed the smartphone would launch in India soon. While the brand has traditionally been associated with gaming and performance-focused devices, iQOO now wants its flagships to offer a more rounded experience, with equal attention to cameras, display, software, and AI features.
At IMC 2026, Gadgets 360 spoke with iQOO India CEO, Nipun Marya, about the challenges facing the smartphone industry and iQOO’s evolving flagship strategy. Marya also discussed the company’s approach to reaching consumers beyond metro cities, the importance of its community, and why it wants the iQOO 16 to appeal to more than just gamers.
Smartphone Price Hikes Aren’t Going Away Yet
One of the first topics we discussed was the ongoing pressure on smartphone prices, something Marya had also highlighted during our previous interaction. With memory costs still affecting the industry, we asked whether there were any signs the situation was improving.
“So it is a global phenomenon. All brands are affected,” Marya said. He added that the pressure was unlikely to disappear immediately, although predicting how the situation would develop remained difficult. “Price hikes will be there. There is pressure on the supply side with respect to memory,” he said.
Marya did not offer a specific timeline for when the situation might stabilise. However, his comments suggest that smartphone manufacturers will have to continue dealing with supply constraints and pricing challenges for some time.
For iQOO, this is particularly relevant considering how the company has positioned itself in India. Its smartphones have generally appealed to buyers seeking flagship-grade performance without paying the premium associated with some established flagship brands.
During our conversation, we asked how iQOO plans to maintain that positioning as smartphone component costs continue to rise. Marya pointed to the company’s journey over the past five years and the recognition it has built among technology enthusiasts. He said iQOO now has a loyal customer base, along with people who aspire to own an iQOO smartphone.
He also said he receives emails from consumers describing iQOO devices as their dream phones. For a relatively young brand in India, Marya sees this as encouraging.
iQOO 16 to Mark a Shift Towards a ‘Complete Flagship’
Interestingly, when discussing iQOO’s strategy for the coming years, Marya repeatedly returned to one point: offering a complete flagship experience.
The executive explained that the company wants to move beyond the perception that it excels in one area while compromising elsewhere. With the iQOO 16, the aim is to deliver a flagship-level experience across different aspects of the smartphone. “I think one thing that we are really adding is a true flagship experience,” Marya said. He added, “I think you will see a complete flagship experience starting with the iQOO 16.”
According to Marya, this approach will cover the display, processor, cooling system, cameras, and AI capabilities. He made particularly ambitious claims about the upcoming smartphone’s display panel and processing capabilities, describing them as being among the most advanced available.
The company is also placing greater emphasis on areas like camera performance, which haven’t always been the first thing consumers associate with iQOO smartphones.
Marya believes the iQOO 16 will demonstrate how the brand intends to approach its future flagships, with fewer compromises across the overall experience. As for the India launch, the executive remained tight-lipped about the exact date. “It is coming soon, and by soon I mean soon,” he said, without sharing a specific timeline.
The iQOO 16 will be among the first smartphones in the country to pack Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip
iQOO Wants Its Flagships to Appeal Beyond Gamers
Gaming has been central to iQOO’s identity in India, and the company has invested considerably in building its reputation among mobile gamers and performance enthusiasts. However, Marya believes the brand’s flagship devices should no longer be viewed as smartphones meant primarily for gaming.
During our conversation, we discussed how iQOO is often associated with gaming as soon as a new device enters the market. While this has helped the company establish itself among enthusiasts, it can also influence how other consumers perceive its smartphones. Marya acknowledged the point and said the iQOO 16 would be positioned as a mainstream flagship. “This is as mainstream a phone as it gets,” he said.
That doesn’t mean gaming will take a back seat. Marya said gaming would remain one of iQOO’s strengths, with powerful processors and cooling systems staying key features.
However, the company now wants consumers who prioritise cameras, display quality, software, and other flagship features to consider its devices as well. Marya also acknowledged that communicating this broader positioning would be important for the brand.
He described the iQOO 16 as the company’s most complete flagship yet and expressed confidence that it would appeal to consumers looking for a smartphone that performs well across different areas.
Why iQOO Isn’t Focusing Separately on Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities
Another topic during the interaction was the growing focus of smartphone and consumer technology brands on smaller cities. While several companies see Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 markets as their next growth opportunities, Marya said iQOO approaches its audience differently. The executive explained that the company has largely distributed through Amazon, allowing it to reach customers nationwide without necessarily following a city-specific strategy.
For iQOO, the more important factor is whether a consumer is interested in technology. Marya argued that technology enthusiasts are present everywhere, whether in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, or smaller cities. As a result, the company does not see a need to adopt an entirely different approach based on where consumers live.
He also explained that digital marketing lets brands reach potential customers based on their interests rather than just their location. The company, therefore, continues to identify its core audience as people who understand and are passionate about technology.
It is a distinction Marya (pictured below) was keen to make during the interaction, particularly when compared with brands that rely heavily on offline retail networks and need to plan their distribution and marketing investments across different city tiers.
Community Feedback Continues to Shape iQOO Products
Over the years, iQOO has also built a community of users and enthusiasts who regularly share feedback about its devices. Marya said the company continues to involve community members in testing and improving its products, particularly on the software side.
“Community continues to be a strong pillar for us as we speak,” he said. He said members were already testing an upcoming software version and giving the company feedback.
According to Marya, this feedback is important not only to refine the software experience but also to understand what consumers expect from future hardware. The executive said iQOO would keep listening to community suggestions and using them to improve its products. For a brand that has built much of its identity around technology enthusiasts, Marya believes maintaining this relationship remains important.
iQOO 16 AI Features Could Have Some Surprises
We also discussed AI, particularly as smartphone brands increasingly move beyond basic photo editing and productivity features toward more personalised experiences. When asked what AI capabilities consumers could expect from the iQOO 16, Marya declined to share specific details.
“Okay, so I can’t share much right now, but I can tell you the kind of capabilities we will offer, and we will showcase to you. You will be surprised,” he said. While the executive did not confirm specific AI features, his comments suggest the company has more to reveal closer to launch. For now, iQOO’s message around its next flagship remains consistent. Gaming and performance will remain important, but the company wants the iQOO 16 judged on its overall flagship experience rather than any single feature.
As iQOO enters its next phase in India, Marya appears confident about the brand’s positioning, even as industry-wide pricing pressures continue. Whether the iQOO 16 can deliver on the company’s promise of a complete flagship experience, and at what price, will become clearer when the smartphone officially launches in India.
