Huawei has officially launched the Nova 16 series in China, introducing four new smartphones led by the Nova 16 Ultra, a device that pushes several hardware specifications well beyond what the mid-range segment typically offers. The Nova 16 Ultra carries a 7,000mAh battery with support for 100W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging, alongside IP68 and IP69 dual ratings for water and dust resistance. Shipments are set to begin on June 6.
The display is a 6.84-inch LTPO OLED panel with Full HD Plus resolution and a 1 to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, protected by Kunlun Glass and capable of reaching up to 6,000 nits of peak local brightness. A 50MP front camera is housed in a pill-shaped cutout alongside a 1.5MP spectral sensor, while the fingerprint scanner is positioned on the side power button for convenient one-handed access. The combination of a high-brightness LTPO display with Kunlun Glass protection places the Nova 16 Ultra at a level of display quality typically reserved for flagship devices priced considerably higher.
Huawei powers the Nova 16 Ultra with its in-house Kirin 9010S chipset, the same processor that debuted in the Pura 80 series. The device also supports satellite communication in China, allowing users to send and receive text messages through Beidou satellites when conventional mobile network coverage is unavailable. On the camera side, the headline specification is a 200MP RYYB primary sensor measuring 1/1.28 inches, paired with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilisation. This is joined by a 50MP telephoto lens with 3.7x optical zoom and an 88mm equivalent focal length, and a third 50MP ultra-wide camera that also functions as a macro shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. The rear of the device features a vegan leather finish around the camera island, with the design incorporating two large camera cutouts alongside a compact sensor layout, spectral sensor, and LED flash.
The Nova 16 Ultra runs HarmonyOS 6.1 out of the box and is available in blue, white, and black colour options. In China, the base configuration is priced at CNY 4,699, equivalent to approximately $695 or €596, while the top variant with 1TB of storage carries a price of CNY 5,799, or around $857 or €735. The Nova 16 Ultra’s global availability has not been confirmed at the time of writing, though Huawei’s Nova series has historically made its way to select markets outside China following the domestic launch window.
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