Xiaomi 16 Design Leaked in CAD Render, Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Also Confirmed

Xiaomi is sticking with Qualcomm, and pushing its own chip ambitions forward at the same time. The Chinese smartphone maker has officially confirmed that the Xiaomi 16 series will launch with the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor, likely right after Qualcomm reveals the chip at its Snapdragon Summit in September 2025.

The announcement follows a new multi-year partnership agreement between Xiaomi and Qualcomm, marking 15 years of collaboration between the two companies. While earlier speculation suggested Xiaomi might shift away from Snapdragon processors, this renewed deal reaffirms Qualcomm's central role in Xiaomi's flagship roadmap.

Under the agreement, Xiaomi will continue to use Snapdragon 8-series chips across multiple future generations of its premium smartphones, with a focus on innovation across mobile, wearables, automotive, and smart home categories.

Xiaomi 16 Design Leaked in CAD Render, SD 8 Elite 2 Also Confirmed

Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 to Power Xiaomi 16 and 16 Pro

The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (a tentative name for Qualcomm's next top-tier mobile SoC) is expected to be announced during the Snapdragon Summit, which Qualcomm has confirmed will take place in September 2025.

The Xiaomi 16 and 16 Pro will be among the first devices to ship with this next-gen chip, solidifying Xiaomi's position at the front of the Android flagship race.

Xring Chip to Power Xiaomi 16S Pro and 16 Ultra

While Qualcomm handles the core performance duties in the mainstream Xiaomi 16 series, Xiaomi's in-house Xring chip is being positioned for more specialized roles. The Xiaomi 15S Pro, set to launch in China imminently, will be the first to debut with the Xring O1 chip. Its successor, the Xiaomi 16S Pro, along with the rumored Xiaomi 16 Ultra, is also expected to adopt the Xring platform.

This doesn't mean Snapdragon is being replaced-at least not yet. Production scale and supply constraints mean that Xring will initially be limited to a few high-end devices. Instead, Xiaomi seems to be treating Xring as a complementary chip, perhaps optimized for AI or imaging functions, rather than a general-purpose application processor.

Leaks Hint at Design, Camera, and Battery Upgrades

Alongside the hardware announcements, the first alleged CAD-based sketch of the Xiaomi 16 surfaced online (thanks to Majin Bu), revealing a refined version of the Xiaomi 15's aesthetic. The design features a familiar squircle camera island in the top left corner and what appears to be a two-tone finish on the back panel-a minor but noticeable visual evolution.

Spec-wise, early leaks suggest the Xiaomi 16 will pack a 6.32-6.36-inch display, a periscope telephoto camera, and a hefty 6,800 mAh battery with support for 100W wired charging.

While Xiaomi hasn't confirmed these details, the combination suggests the company is aiming to balance endurance, imaging, and compact form factor more aggressively than before.

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