The iQOO 16 is expected to launch in China this October, but its arrival in India may be in doubt.
According to tipster Yogesh Brar, rising memory prices could push the iQOO 16's price beyond Rs 85,000 (~$890) in India.
This would make it difficult for iQOO to position the phone competitively in the market.
Brar also claims that iQOO has only one budget Z-series phone planned for India in the second half of 2026.
All other products for the market have reportedly been scrapped.
iQOO has already confirmed it will skip launching a Neo-series phone in India this year.
Earlier, the iQOO Z10 Lite was spotted on Geekbench in May, and a device believed to be the iQOO Z11 also appeared on the platform.
The tipster likely refers to the Z11 as the upcoming Z-series phone.
However, the iQOO 16's India launch cannot be ruled out entirely. Its model number was spotted in the IMEI database in May.
iQOO has not officially confirmed any of these claims. Further reports are needed to determine the phone's fate in India.