Weekly Tech Wrap: Oppo Reno 15 Pro, Realme 16 Pro Series Launched, 200MP iPhones, Galaxy S26 Price Hike, More

The first full week of 2026 had smartphones stamped all over it. It brought a slew of phone launches in India: Oppo brought forth the A6 Pro, Xiaomi the Redmi Note 15, followed by the Realme 16 Pro lineup, Oppo Reno 15 series, and the Poco M8 5G.

At CES 2026, Motorola unveiled the Razr Fold, even as Samsung showcased its Galaxy Z TriFold and Clicks the Communicator. Potential price bumps for the iPhone 18 chip and the Samsung Galaxy S26 series made for some not-so-good news as well.

Apple’s upcoming A20 processor for the iPhone 18 series is projected to cost up to $280 per unit, roughly 80% more than the A19, according to a recent AppleInsider report. The increase comes from production challenges and the shift to TSMC’s 2nm process. The chip is expected to deliver gains in performance and power efficiency.

Realme expanded its portfolio with the 16 Pro and 16 Pro+ in India. Both models feature 7,000mAh batteries. The Pro+ is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and includes a 200MP Portrait Master camera system with LumaColor technology and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens. The standard Pro uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Max processor and offers a 200MP camera as well. 

Looking ahead, a Morgan Stanley note predicts Apple will adopt 200MP cameras supplied by Samsung starting in 2028, most likely on the iPhone 21 Pro and Pro Max models.

Several mid-range smartphones launched in India this week. Oppo introduced the A6 Pro 5G, featuring a 7,000mAh battery, MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, a 50MP main camera, and a 16MP front camera. 

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 15 5G in India, boasting a 108MP primary camera with 4K video, a 6.77-inch curved Amoled display, Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, and 5,520mAh battery.

Poco also unveiled the M8 5G, equipped with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, a 50MP main camera, 5,520mAh battery, and 6.77-inch 3D curved display.

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Samsung displayed its tri-fold Galaxy Z TriFold with a 10-inch inner screen, separately showcasing crease-free foldable OLED technology as well.

Motorola entered the book-style foldable market with the Razr Fold, while Infinix introduced the Note 60 Series with the world’s first consumer-grade global satellite connectivity for HD voice calls and two-way SMS.

Meanwhile, Clicks showcased a compact Android phone featuring a physical QWERTY keyboard designed as a secondary messaging device.

Oppo released the Reno 15 series in India, including the Reno 15, Reno 15 Pro, and the new compact Reno 15 Pro Mini. The Pro and Pro Mini models boast a 200MP primary sensor — the highest in the Reno lineup — alongside a 50MP telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and a 50MP ultrawide.

Samsung executives indicated at CES 2026 that rising memory prices make price increases for future Galaxy devices, including the S26 series, very likely. Samsung Electronics co-CEO TM Roh told Reuters that “no company is immune” to rising memory prices, describing price raises for devices as “inevitable.”