Xiaomi 16 Series Could Be The First Phones With Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 SoC

Xiaomi 16 series could be released shortly as the replacement to last year’s Xiaomi 15 models. While the smartphone maker has yet to declare an official launch date for its next generation of premium smartphones, a new leak suggests a probable release date for these handsets. The Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro are likely to be the first smartphones to run Qualcomm’s forthcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which was previously dubbed the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. These devices are believed to have a triple rear camera configuration, including two 50-megapixel cameras.

Xiaomi 16 Series Expected Launch Timeline

According to Chinese Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station, the first smartphone powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) CPU will be released between September 24 and September 26.  While the tipster did not specifically say the Xiaomi 16 series, the context and follow-up comments clearly suggest that the upcoming Xiaomi 16 lineup may be the first to include Qualcomm’s flagship processor.

This launch timeframe is earlier than last year’s Xiaomi 15 series, which debuted in the last week of October 2024.  Qualcomm is anticipated to unveil its next flagship CPU during the chipmaker’s annual Snapdragon Summit, which begins on September 23 in Hawaii.