Realme GT 2 Pro will be among the first Android flagship phones coming later this year to sport the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. Right after Qualcomm’s big announcement, Realme joined Xiaomi and other smartphone brands to show off its partnership with the chipmaker on the all-new flagship chipset. Realme said the GT 2 Pro launch will happen in December.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor is important because it breaks away from the traditional three-digit numbering that the company has followed for years. Similarly, the upcoming Realme GT 2 Pro is important for Realme as it finally sets its foot in the ultra-premium smartphone market, which has so far been dominated by the likes of OnePlus phones, Samsung phones, and Apple iPhones.

That could also be the reason why Realme is not waiting until next year for the launch of its flagship. Madhav Sheth, vice president of Realme and boss of India operations, announced that the Realme GT 2 Pro is coming this December, so clearly the company does not want to lag behind its rivals Xiaomi and Motorola.

Xiaomi is expected to reveal the Xiaomi 12 series on December 12, while reports are that Motorola’s next flagship, Motorola Edge X30, will arrive on December 8. Both Xiaomi 12 and Motorola Edge X30 will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, too. And these are just two brands that have already confirmed their upcoming phones, besides Realme. There are high chances some other major smartphone brands will try to squeeze out their flagships before this year ends.

Realme GT 2 Pro has already leaked in renders, where it looked like a modernised Google Nexus 6P. The phone has a visor on the back that houses all cameras horizontally – a first for Realme. The phone will use ceramic and metal in the body, both of which sound like good ingredients for a premium phone that Realme is so ambitious about. Realme has previously launched phones with Qualcomm’s top chips, but they have been more about undercutting the stalwarts on the market. This time, Realme wants to go as fancy as it can, but the aggressive pricing is still going to reflect.

The December launch timeline sounds good, but whether it is for India or just China is not clear. A 91Mobiles report previously said the GT 2 Pro will arrive in India in the first quarter of 2022. Unless we get further information from Realme, it is hard to tell if India is getting the upcoming flagship this year or whether the launch will take place next year.