India Set for a Major Wave of Mid Range Smartphone Launches in Early January 2026

Now that the holiday season is well behind us, the Indian smartphone market gears up and gets into full throttle. While around the world, tech enthusiasts will be glued to their screens for the flurry of announcements at the CES 2026 starting on January 6th, in India, all eyes will be on a week choc-full of mid-range smartphone launches. Starting from January 5th and going all the way to January 9th, several key brands are ready to refresh some of their best-selling line-ups; this indeed is one of the busiest launch windows at the beginning of the year.

Well-recognised names such as Xiaomi, Realme, OPPO, and POCO are launching new models squarely targeted at the mid-range segment. As many as seven smartphones are expected to launch this week, including a first-ever compact “mini” phone in the Reno series. Here's a detailed look at every confirmed smartphone launch in India this exciting week.

Redmi Note 15

Coming on January 6th, the Redmi Note 15 will mark the first major mid-range debut of the year. But unlike its predecessors, Redmi is starting things off with just the standard variant this time, and Pro models will presumably come later. Be that as it may, the Redmi Note 15 feels pretty well-positioned to win the hearts of mass-market buyers with its improved design and substantial hardware upgrade.

It comes with a sleek, curved-edge design, measuring only 7.35mm in thickness. There is a square-shaped camera module positioned at the center of the back panel. Inside the module is the dual-camera camera set, where the 108MP main sensor will be surrounded by OIS. Redmi says that the camera is "capable" of offering multiple focuses on portraits, dynamic imaging, and 4K video recording. On the front is a 20MP selfie shooter to take photos and video calls with.

Powering the smartphone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 SoC, which is optimized to provide lag-free performance up to 48 months, according to the manufacturer. In terms of batteries, the smartphone relies on a 5,520mAh battery that is fueled by 45W fast charging technology. This technology is touted to provide up to 1.6 days of usage on a single charge. Another interesting feature is its display. In this model, the smartphone uses the 6.77-inch curved AMOLED panel that has a 120Hz refresh rate. This panel boasts peak brightness of 3,200nits. Moreover, it has TÜV triple eye-care certification. Furthermore, the smartphone has Hydro Touch 2.0.

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Internationally, the Redmi Note 15 has been priced in the range of Rs 25,000; however, the Indian version may come up with even better prices. Going merely by the fact that the last version was priced at Rs 18,999, the Redmi Note 15 is likely to be one of the leading models in the market.

Realme 16 Pro Series

Realme 16 Pro series has been unveiled on the same day, January 6th, and Realme 16 Pro lineup has been expanded this year with the inclusion of Realme 16 Pro and Realme 16 Pro+, both of which feature almost similar designs and features but with advanced specifications.

Realme 16 Pro+

The Realme 16 Pro Plus is marketed as the most feature-laden number series smartphone to-date. It comes with the same processor as its predecessor, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, and a massive 7,000mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. The cameras are where the Realme 16 Pro + stands out, sporting a 200MP primary sensor and a 50MP periscope tele-camera lens.

In terms of design, it introduces the Realme Urban Wild design language featuring a square camera module positioned in the top-left corner. The usability and resilience of the phone come first, as it has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, which ensure dust and liquid resistance, as well as resistance when confronted with high-pressure jets. It comes with a 4D curved AMOLED screen, supporting a maximum brightness of 6,500 nits, thin bezels, a 2,500Hz touch sampling rate, and Netflix HDR.

It will definitely launch in a 12GB RAM and 512GB storage option, but more variants should be expected. Colour options include Master Gold and Master Grey. While Realme hasn't announced a price for the Realme 16 Pro+, reports suggest it could be somewhere near Rs 43,999-which, if true, would make it the most expensive Realme number-series device.

Realme 16 Pro

While the Realme 16 Pro is a bit more affordable and comes fitted with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max chipset, its spec sheet still isn't watered down with the same 200MP LumaColour primary camera, as well as a 7,000mAh battery and a 1.5K AMOLED display that peaks at 6,500 nits.

While Realme has not let out an official price for the same, going by its predecessor, the device is expected to fall well under the Rs 30,000 mark. For existing Realme users, these might not be radical upgrades, but for anyone coming from an older generation smartphone, the 16 Pro series will be a jump well worth it.

OPPO Reno 15 Series

OPPO will bring about some change with the launch of the OPPO Reno15 series in India on January 8th. For the first time, the new OPPO Reno15 series will offer not one, not two, but three variants, including the OPPO Reno15, the OPPO Reno15 Pro, and the special newcomer, OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini. This indicates that OPPO will target both large screen fans and fans of compact phones.

All three models will come with a aerospace-grade aluminum frame. Also making its debut with these models is HoloFusion technology from OPPO. The HoloFusion technology offers a distinct three-dimensional effect to the rear side of the smartphone.

OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini

The OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini is a gem for people who favor compact smartphones. This phone comes with a 6.32-inch AMOLED display with an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz and is designed with a lightweight body weighing around 187 grams. The phone does not compromise on durability despite being so compact as it has IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings.

It will be available in Cocoa Brown and Glacier White variants, with the Reno15 Pro Mini standing as one of the most pocket-friendly flagship devices in the Indian mobile marketplace. Leaked details are showing that it will start costing around Rs 59,999 with the 12GB + 256GB variant, competing with devices such as Vivo X200 FE and OnePlus 13s.

OPPO Reno15 Pro

The OPPO Reno15 Pro is offered at the top of the lineup, with a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and protection courtesy of Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It will be offered in Sunset Gold and Cocoa Brown color options, and carries over the same triple IP rating focus on durability.

OPPO Reno15

The standard model of the OPPO Reno15 is also IP66, IP68, and IP69-certified. Display size has not been announced yet, but the company has confirmed the use of an AMOLED panel and an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. Color variants are Glacier White, Twilight Blue, and Aurora Blue.

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POCO M8

POCO brings the week to a close with the arrival of the POCO M8 on the 8th of January. Teased on Flipkart, the device has been introduced as the slimmest one within its category, measuring only 7.35mm in thickness and weighing approximately 178 grams.

While the detailed specifications remain a closely guarded secret, it appears to take a lot of cues from its Redmi Note 15 sibling and comes with a squircle camera module design. The manufacturer appears to want to make its M8 series stand out either with a dualtone finish and perhaps a combination of matte finishes with vegan leather.

The first week of January 2026 is looking like a critical week for Indian smartphone consumers. Whether it is the aggressively priced Redmi Note 15, the feature-filled offerings in Realme’s 16 Pro series, the bold foray by OPPO in the world of premium compact smartphones with the Reno15 Pro Mini range, and lastly the stunning POCO M8 series, there seems to be something for everyone. If you were waiting to upgrade, this series of launches looks as if it has a lot in store for you.