iQOO, Vivo's flagship sub-brand, may launch gaming smartphone in India

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[Update: Confirmed] Vivo's iQOO brand may soon launch a high-end gaming smartphone in India

By Pranob Mehrotra

Published Jan 23, 2020

As per recent reports, Chinese OEM Vivo is looking to launch its sub-brand iQOO in India with a flagship gaming smartphone.

Update: Shortly after publishing, iQOO has confirmed its arrival in India through a press release. Scroll to the bottom for more information.

Chinese OEM Vivo is known primarily for its mid-range devices. However, the company has previously released some iconic devices featuring innovative technologies, like the Vivo Nex 3 with its extreme curved display, the Vivo V17 Pro with a unique dual pop-up camera module, and the Vivo V17 which features the world's tiniest hole-punch display. Early last year, the launched a new sub-brand called iQOO aimed at selling premium flagship smartphones. As part of the new brand, the company first launched the iQOO gaming smartphone, which was followed by the iQOO Pro and then the iQOO Neo. However, all of these phones were only launched in China. Now, it seems like the company is prepping up to launch the iQOO brand internationally, starting with India.

As per a recent report from 91Mobiles, Vivo might launch the iQOO brand in India later this year in March. The report cites industry sources who have revealed that the brand will be launched in India as a separate entity and it might feature a flagship Snapdragon 8xx-series chipset. A separate report from India Today sheds more light on the matter, revealing that the company will be launching India's first 5G enabled smartphone with the Snapdragon 865 chipset. As of now, we have no concrete information about the upcoming device. However, if we consider the brand's history in China, we can safely say that the device could be a flagship and it might feature special features and hardware for gamers.

Furthermore, Vivo filed trademark applications for iQOO, iQOO Neo, iQOO Pro, and an unreleased iQOO Lite in the country. While these trademark applications should not be interpreted as confirmation that Vivo will launch all of these devices in India, it does indicate that the company has an interest in protecting its brand in the country.

Source: 91Mobiles, India Today

Update: Confirmed through press release

Shortly after publishing, iQOO has confirmed its arrival in the Indian market through a press release.

We see extreme potential in the premium segment smartphone market in India and have deep-dived to understand the gap that the consumers face in this segment. We understand very closely that there is an increasing demand for performance delivery devices and smooth smartphone experience, be it using multiple apps, downloading heavy files or just social media. Consumers today look for power-packed performance, and that is exactly what we offer. We are proud to share the same ethos and values exhibited by today’s younger generation who grew up in the internet era. We are confident that the values of the iQOO brand resonate strongly with this audience. iQOO is a brand that understands, is in-sync and progresses with them.

The press release further states that "the brand will soon launch its first product for the Indian market in February with many industry-first specifications. The first device from iQOO will be India’s first smartphone running on the latest Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G capabilities. Furthermore, the device will also be backed by robust performance capabilities in the charging, gaming, and design department, providing phone phonetics uninterrupted content consumption."