New Phones in India September 2026
It has been a busy few weeks for anyone shopping for a phone in India. The iPhone 18 Pro is finally on sale, Xiaomi has squeezed a 10,000mAh battery into a phone that costs under ₹50,000, Samsung has priced its new Galaxy S26 FE, and vivo is already teasing the V80 for early October.
This guide puts it all in one place: what launched last month, what you can buy right now, and what is worth waiting for. We cover Apple, Samsung, vivo, OPPO, realme and Xiaomi, with a comparison table and a plain-language take on who each phone suits.
A quick note on how this is written: we have not tested these phones ourselves. Everything below comes from official launch details and announcements, and the opinions are our reading of what the specs mean for everyday use. Prices are launch prices as of 19 September 2026 and can change, so use the buttons to see today’s price.
Quick picks
Short on time? Here is where we would start, judging by the specs and prices.
- Most talked-about premium phone: iPhone 18 Pro (₹1,64,900 for 256GB)
- Biggest battery under ₹50,000: Redmi Note 17 Pro Max (₹49,999)
- Best pick if you want Samsung: Galaxy S26 FE (₹79,999)
- Worth waiting for: vivo V80 (expected in the first week of October)
New phones in India at a glance: August to October 2026
| Month | Brand | Phone | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | Xiaomi | Redmi Note 17 | Launched in India on 6 August with an 8,000mAh battery |
| August | vivo (iQOO) | iQOO Z11 | Launched around 20 August with a Dimensity 7500 Turbo chip |
| August | Xiaomi (POCO) | POCO M8x 5G | Launched around 21 August with a Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chip |
| August | Samsung | Galaxy S26 FE | Global launch on 27 August |
| September | Apple | iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max | Pre-orders from 12 September, sales from 18 September |
| September | Samsung | Galaxy S26 FE | India price announced, sale from 18 September |
| September | Xiaomi | Redmi Note 17 Pro and Pro Max | Pro on sale from 17 September, Pro Max from 23 September |
| September | realme | 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition | India launch on 21 September, 12 PM |
| October | vivo | V80 | Teased on 15 September, expected in the first week of October |
| October | Apple | iPhone Duo (foldable) | Pre-orders on 16 October, sales from 23 October |
We could not find a confirmed October India launch for Samsung, OPPO, realme or Xiaomi at the time of writing, so we have left them out rather than guess. We will add them here if that changes.
Spec comparison: the phones that matter this season
Here is how the main launches line up side by side. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Phone | Launch price (India) | Display | Chipset | Cameras | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro | ₹1,64,900 | 6.3-inch | A20 Pro (2nm) | Variable-aperture main camera (f/1.4 to f/4.0) | Up to 36 hours video playback (Apple’s rating) |
| Galaxy S26 FE | ₹79,999 (8GB/256GB) | 6.7-inch AMOLED, 120Hz | Exynos 2500 | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP 3x telephoto | 4,900mAh |
| Redmi Note 17 Pro | ₹36,999 (8GB/128GB) | 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz | Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 | 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide | 9,000mAh, 67W charging |
| Redmi Note 17 Pro Max | ₹49,999 (8GB/256GB) | 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz | Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 | 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide | 10,000mAh, 100W charging |
| OPPO Reno16 (launched July) | ₹66,999 (8GB/256GB) | 6.32-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz | Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 | 50MP main + 50MP 3.5x telephoto | 6,700mAh |
| realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition | Not announced yet | 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 144Hz | Dimensity 7300 Max | 200MP main + 8MP ultrawide, 50MP selfie | 7,000mAh, 80W charging |
| vivo V80 (expected) | Unconfirmed, reports vary widely | Around 6.59-inch (reported) | Unconfirmed | ZEISS cameras with a 50MP 3x telephoto (reported) | 7,200mAh, 90W (reported) |
Which of these phones are people paying attention to?
There is no single winner, because these phones are aimed at very different budgets. Going by how much attention each launch is getting in the Indian tech press, here is how we would split it.
- iPhone 18 Pro series: the biggest headline of the month. It went on sale on 18 September, though delivery estimates have reportedly slipped into October.
- Redmi Note 17 Pro series: the one most regular buyers will actually consider. The battery sizes and sub-₹50,000 prices explain the interest.
- vivo V80: the most anticipated phone for next month. The V series is popular with buyers who care about cameras and design.
On overall sales, industry trackers have reported that vivo leads India by shipment volume while Apple leads by value. In other words, vivo sells the most phones, and Apple earns the most money from the phones it sells.
Brand-by-brand highlights
Apple: iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and the iPhone Duo
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 and the Pro Max at ₹1,79,900, both for 256GB. Both run on the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2nm process. The Pro has a 6.3-inch screen and the Pro Max a 6.9-inch one.
- The main camera has a variable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/4.0, which gives you more control over depth and light.
- Apple rates video playback at up to 36 hours on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max.
- Delivery dates for some configurations have reportedly stretched into October, so check the estimate before you order.
Who it is for: people who want the best camera and video in an iPhone and plan to keep it for years. If you are curious about foldables, Apple’s iPhone Duo opens for pre-orders on 16 October at ₹2,99,900, with a 5.4-inch outer screen and a 7.6-inch inner one. That price is not for everyone, but it shows where Apple is heading.
Samsung: Galaxy S26 FE
Samsung’s “Fan Edition” phone is priced at ₹79,999 in India for the 8GB/256GB version, and it went on sale on 18 September. It has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 2500 chip.
- A 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide and an 8MP telephoto with 3x zoom.
- A 4,900mAh battery, which is modest next to what Xiaomi and realme are offering.
- Samsung promises up to seven years of software updates, which is the longest support window in this list.
Who it is for: buyers who want a Samsung with long software support and a familiar camera setup. At ₹79,999 it is not cheap for an “FE” phone, so it is worth comparing against other phones in that price range before you buy.
vivo and iQOO: iQOO Z11 now, V80 next
vivo’s sub-brand iQOO launched the Z11 in August with a Dimensity 7500 Turbo chip, and it is listed at around ₹34,999. The bigger story is the vivo V80, which the company teased on 15 September and which is expected in the first week of October.
- Reported specs include a 7,200mAh battery, 90W charging and a ZEISS-tuned 50MP 3x telephoto camera.
- Dust and water protection is reported at IP68 and IP69.
- The price is the big unknown. Estimates range from about ₹48,000 to above ₹60,000, and the chipset is not confirmed either.
Who it is for: anyone who likes portrait and telephoto photography in a slim phone. Since the price and chip are still uncertain, waiting a couple of weeks is sensible.
OPPO: Reno16 is still the one to look at
OPPO’s big India launch this year is still the Reno16, which arrived in July at ₹66,999 for the 8GB/256GB version. It has a 6.32-inch 1.5K AMOLED display at 120Hz, a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip and a 6,700mAh battery. The standout is the camera setup: a 50MP main sensor paired with a 50MP telephoto that zooms 3.5x.
OPPO’s Find X10 series is set for its China launch on 22 September, but we found no India date yet. Who it is for: people who want a compact phone with a proper telephoto camera and do not mind paying upper mid-range prices.
realme: 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition
realme has teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products for a limited-edition version of the 16 Pro, launching in India on 21 September at 12 PM. It has a brown faux-leather back with an argyle pattern, a Hogwarts crest and a “Welcome to Hogwarts” message engraved on the frame. A themed gift box, limited to 5,000 units worldwide, comes with it.
- The phone itself has a 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED screen, a Dimensity 7300 Max chip and a 7,000mAh battery with 80W charging.
- The cameras are a 200MP main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide and a 50MP selfie camera.
- The price has not been announced. The regular realme 16 Pro currently sells for around ₹44,999 to ₹49,999, and the special edition is expected to land near the top of that range.
Who it is for: fans who want the collectible. If you only care about specs, the regular realme 16 Pro will likely give you the same phone for less.
Xiaomi: Redmi Note 17, Note 17 Pro and Pro Max, plus POCO M8x
Xiaomi has the busiest lineup of the six brands. The Redmi Note 17 arrived on 6 August with an 8,000mAh battery, and the POCO M8x 5G followed on 21 August. In September came the Redmi Note 17 Pro at ₹36,999 (8GB/128GB) and the Note 17 Pro Max at ₹49,999 (8GB/256GB).
- Both Pro phones share a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen with 120Hz and up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness.
- The Pro has a 9,000mAh battery with 67W charging. The Pro Max goes up to 10,000mAh with 100W charging.
- Both carry an IP69K rating, a 50MP main camera and Xiaomi’s promise of four OS upgrades and six years of security updates.
- The Pro sale started on 17 September and the Pro Max goes on sale on 23 September.
Who it is for: anyone who wants a phone that lasts two days on a charge without spending flagship money. The Pro Max’s 32MP selfie camera also beats the 16MP on the Pro, so it is the better choice for video calls.
What is changing across phones this season
- Batteries keep getting bigger. 9,000mAh and 10,000mAh in a mainstream Redmi was unheard of a couple of years ago. realme and vivo are also at 7,000mAh or more.
- Prices are creeping up. Industry reports say memory chip costs have risen sharply, and phone prices in India have gone up by roughly 15% as a result. Samsung offering the S26 FE in just one memory and storage option fits that trend.
- Software support is a selling point. Samsung promises up to seven years of updates, and Xiaomi has committed to four OS upgrades and six years of security patches.
- Foldables are moving up. Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, will be the most expensive phone in this guide at ₹2,99,900.
Buy now or wait until October?
It depends on what you need. If your current phone is dying, the Redmi Note 17 Pro series and the Galaxy S26 FE are already on sale and easy to buy. If you are open to waiting, there are two good reasons to hold off: the vivo V80 arrives in early October with a price still to be revealed, and the festive-season sales on Amazon and Flipkart usually bring bank offers and discounts on recent launches.
Given that prices are trending up, though, do not expect big cuts on brand-new phones. Compare the final price after bank offers, not the sticker price.
How to choose without getting lost in specs
- Set your budget first. The phones in this guide range from around ₹35,000 to over ₹1,79,000, so decide your ceiling before you compare.
- Pick one thing that matters most. Battery life, camera or long-term updates? Few phones win all three.
- Check the service network. A great phone is less useful if the nearest service centre is far away.
- Look at the storage variant. Some launch prices, like the Redmi Note 17 Pro’s ₹36,999, are for the base 128GB version. The version you actually want may cost more.
- Wait for real-world reviews on phones that just launched. Specs on paper do not always match daily use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of the iPhone 18 Pro in India?
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 for the 256GB model, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900. Both went on sale on 18 September.
Which phone has the biggest battery among the new launches?
The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max, with a 10,000mAh battery and 100W charging, has the biggest battery in this guide. The Redmi Note 17 Pro follows with 9,000mAh.
When is the vivo V80 launching in India?
vivo teased the V80 on 15 September, and it is expected to launch in the first week of October. The price and chipset had not been confirmed when this guide was written.
How much is the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE in India?
The Galaxy S26 FE is priced at ₹79,999 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage version, and it went on sale on 18 September.
Is the realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition worth buying?
Only if you want the collectible design and the gift box. The phone inside is essentially a realme 16 Pro, so if you care about performance and price, the regular version is the better deal.
Are phone prices going up in India?
Yes, according to industry reports. Higher memory chip costs have pushed prices up by roughly 15% this year, and analysts say the pressure is hitting budget phones hardest.
Our verdict
If you have flagship money, the iPhone 18 Pro is the phone everyone is talking about. If you do not, the Redmi Note 17 Pro series offers the most for the money right now, mainly because of its battery. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE makes sense if long software support matters to you, though its price is steep. And if you can spare two weeks, wait for the vivo V80’s final price before you decide.
Last updated: 19 September 2026. Prices shown are launch prices and may change. Product names, logos and trademarks belong to their respective owners. This site is not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned.
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