A new iQOO smartphone appears to be making its way to the Indian market. Following rumors that the flagship iQOO 16 could launch in India with a premium price tag, fresh evidence now suggests that another member of the lineup — possibly the iQOO 16R or 16s — is also on its way. The device has just received certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the model number I2606, a key step required before any phone can be sold in the country.
Interestingly, this exact model number has surfaced before. It was previously linked to the iQOO 16R, and more recently it appeared in a Malaysian certification under the iQOO 16s name. Since the BIS listing only reveals the model number without confirming a marketing name, it remains unclear which variant Indian consumers will actually get.
Regardless of the final branding, the phone is widely expected to be a rebadged version of the China-bound iQOO Z12 Turbo. Should that rumor hold true, and if earlier leaks about the Z12 Turbo prove accurate, the iQOO 16R (or 16s) could arrive with some impressive hardware. Expectations include a 6.59-inch display offering a refresh rate of no less than 165Hz, as well as Qualcomm's next flagship chipset — which may be marketed as either the Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Pro, since the final naming is still unconfirmed. There's even talk of a built-in active cooling fan, a feature typically reserved for gaming-focused devices.
