iQOO, which was founded in 2019 as a sub-brand of global smartphone maker vivo, made its international debut in early 2020, catering to the fast-growing Indian mobile gaming market. Now, the brand is set to expand its presence to South East Asia for the first time, delivering its most powerful device yet.

The flagship model of iQOO's latest performance series, the iQOO 11, is due for international release in early December. The iQOO 11 incorporates everything the company has learned since its debut to ensure robust, all-around performance in gaming, esports, and beyond.

Plus, iQOO's premium partnership with BMW M Motorsport reinforces the brand's focus on high performance, speed, control, and the pursuit of excellence.

The unique iQOO smartphone experience

iQOO, or "I quest on and on," represents the brand's quest for continuous exploration and innovation when it comes to developing industry-leading products. Important factors like smooth operation, a large display, and extended battery life are essential for any good gaming phone, but iQOO devices stand out by delivering more than just the basics.

Scott Sun, iQOO Product Manager and one of the first members of the iQOO product team, explains that what makes iQOO smartphones different is the attention to detail put into designing the overall user experience. For instance, iQOO pushes the limits with industry-leading fast-charging technology, paired with an exclusive intelligent display chip for improved visuals and an immersive full-sensory control system crafted for enhanced in-game precision and control.

According to Sun, behind iQOO's user-oriented philosophy is a team of avid mobile gamers that not only understand the user needs from their own experience, but also spend a lot of time doing in-depth interviews to gain a more well-rounded perspective.

"I have the opportunity to work with a lot of Gen Z colleagues on the team," Sun says. "Their vitality, fresh ideas, and the determination they put into their work make my job extremely fulfilling. It's quite an interesting dynamic, as our team essentially represents our target demographic."

Growing up in the world as it is, younger people tend to accept technology faster and, therefore, expect high-performance products. Users who enjoy mobile gaming specifically expect aspects that focus on mobile games and esports. For example, no gaming phone is worth considering unless it has some serious power behind it to prop up a wealth of other features.

The iQOO 11 will be one of the first smartphones with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, bringing unparalleled performance. iQOO is also well-known for providing superb control and haptic feedback features, which are essential components of immersive gaming. Previously, we've seen iQOO offer features such as In-Display Dual Monster Touch and Dual X-Axis Linear Motor. With a focus on gaming and esports, there's no doubt we'll see something similar with the latest iQOO 11 smartphone.

More than a bold challenger in the esports world

The next generation of smartphone users has high expectations when it comes to technology. Surrounded by next-gen consoles, smart TVs, and restaurant-quality food delivered to your door via an app in an instant, the younger generation has grown up expecting maximum performance and cutting-edge technology.

To meet these high expectations, the iQOO 11 is bound to come equipped with everything a Gen Z user could need in a gaming smartphone. This includes a large, vivid display, a high refresh rate, and also a powerful camera setup. Sun confirmed that the iQOO 11 won't just focus on gaming.

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iQOO 7, launched in India in 2021, was the first iQOO smartphone on the Indian market to use dual-chip technology

"We noticed that our target consumers have the habit of taking a lot of photos and sharing them with friends and family, so they require better photography functions. That's why we improve the camera capabilities with each new iQOO generation," Sun says. "Take the Chinese market as an example, more and more people are taking up mobile gaming. Based on the rising demand, iQOO sensed the popularity of esports and knew what the younger generation wanted. We want to provide consumers with high-performance products with which they can play mobile games."

But iQOO didn't just enter the next-gen market. The iQOO 7, Sun's personal favorite, launched in India in 2021, and it was the first iQOO smartphone in that market to use dual-chip technology. Combining its standard CPU chip and a customized intelligent display chip, this model was able to offer an optimized visual experience while reducing power consumption. It offered the perfect balance between performance and battery life, and it has since become a standard in all iQOO devices.

Partnership with BMW M Motorsport

If you weren't already amazed at what the iQOO 11 has to offer, this might help to tip the scale. Over the last few years, iQOO has maintained a continued and close partnership with BMW M Motorsport, a legend in racing. iQOO's brand concept, "I quest on and on," is only reinforced by this collaboration, which drives to achieve ultra-fast technology and innovation.

Previously, iQOO supported BMW M Motorsport to compete in top-class racing events like DTM and the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race. After a 25-year absence, BMW is expected to return to the upcoming top-class prototype racing like Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2023 and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024, sporting the iQOO-branded BMW M Hybrid V8.

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To convey a similar speed aesthetic and sense of control, iQOO is releasing a Legend edition of its latest enhanced performance smartphone.

"The iQOO Legend is like the 'BMW M Motorsport racing car' of the smartphone world. iQOO Legend delivers ultimate speed and powerful performance, and a fantastic control experience – as fast, precise, and stable as a BMW M Motorsport racing car. If you enjoy high speed and the thrill of control, then the iQOO 11 series is a perfect choice."

The iQOO Legend edition design evokes the aesthetic of speed, featuring the iconic tri-color racing stripe, which has a grainy texture and provides an added tactile experience when playing games. According to iQOO, each color of the red, black, and blue racing stripe has its own meaning. Red represents the passion and excitement for racing. Black symbolizes the pursuit of technological innovation. And blue represents the fun of exploring the unknown. Together, the three colors tell the story of how "Fascination Meets Innovation."

The future of iQOO

Adopting forward-thinking industry insights, iQOO sees South East Asia as having significant potential in the gaming market. The region is expected to see the fastest esports revenue growth globally through 2024, and at the same time, mobile gaming is outpacing the industry as a whole in terms of market share.

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iQOO Neo6 launched in May 2022, delivering outstanding performance and a flagship-level gaming experience at a more affordable price point

iQOO is ready to capture this opportunity with a product portfolio that delivers unmatched performance as well as unique experiences at every price point. It not only caters to the needs of the younger generation internationally, but has also helped iQOO become one of the fastest-growing brands in China's domestic market. Its international debut in India similarly was met with great success.

Sun summarizes iQOO's expectations for the future:

"Our target consumers will use mobile phones to play games, but we don't stop there. We want to bring consumers products that exceed their expectations and provide them with high-performance mobile phones with gaming configurations," Sun says. "Our flagship series is positioned as an esports flagship, aiming at those consumers who are determined to win and have fun. The future belongs to the Gen Zers. They have their own attitudes and opinions, defying the status quo. They embrace new things well."

Interested in the iQOO brand and what they stand for? Want to learn more about iQOO and its latest offerings? Head over to iQOO's official website for more.

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