iQOO Neo 855Source: iQOO

What you need to know

  • Vivo's iQOO sub-brand today announced its entry into the Indian smartphone market.
  • The brand's first phone in India will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset.
  • It is expected to be the first 5G-enabled smartphone to go on sale in the country.

In February last year, Vivo announced the launch of a new premium smartphone sub-brand called iQOO. While the brand has so far focused only on the Chinese market, it is now planning to expand its presence to a few more markets. Its global expansion will begin next month, which is when the brand will launch its first flagship phone in India.

Confirming the brand's entry into the country, Gagan Arora, Director of Marketing at iQOO, said in a statement:

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.

iQOO says that its first product for the Indian market will be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G capabilities. No other details have been revealed by iQOO so far, although it claims the phone will have "many industry-first specifications." The smartphone is expected to ship with the latest Android 10 OS out of the box.

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Unsurprisingly, iQOO will be selling its phones in India only through online stores initially. Eventually, the company plans to sell its phones via offline stores as well. What remains to be seen, however, is if iQOO will be able to lure consumers in India with its premium offerings. iQOO's parent brand Vivo has enjoyed limited success in the premium segment in the country.

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