iQOO 16 camera specs confirmed ahead of launch

The iQOO 16 camera system is officially confirmed ahead of the phone’s launch in China. The company released specific details about the hardware and imaging technology, confirming that the device will feature a 50-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor. This sensor is significantly larger than the unit found in the previous model.

Hardware upgrades

The main camera on the iQOO 16 is claimed to capture 79 percent more light than the sensor in the iQOO 15. The company states this improvement should help the device handle challenging lighting conditions more effectively. The camera also uses the self-developed Super HDR imaging technology and the NICE 3.0 optical reconstruction engine.

These tools are designed to improve image processing and preserve more detail. The system includes CIPA 5.5-rated stabilization, which aims to reduce the effects of hand movement during photo and video capture. The combination of a larger sensor, improved processing, and stabilization should help the phone retain detail in bright areas while preserving information in darker parts of an image.

Full system details

Earlier this month, a reliable tipster revealed that the phone would use an OV50Q 50-megapixel primary sensor. The camera setup is expected to include a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. This configuration provides a versatile system capable of covering a wider range of shooting scenarios.

While the camera hardware has been confirmed, the rest of the specifications are still largely based on reports. The device is expected to feature a 6.85-inch Samsung M16 AMOLED display with a 2K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. It will reportedly run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset and include an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.

Power will come from an 8,400mAh battery with support for 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. The phone will reportedly run OriginOS 7 based on Android 17. It will reportedly come in several memory and storage configurations, including 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+512GB, and 16GB+1TB. The device will reportedly be available in three color options: Chasing Light, Racing Track, and Legend. The iQOO 16 is set to launch in China on September 29.