The annual Snapdragon Summit always brings hardware buzz, but for consumers, the excitement is about the devices that will harness that power. At this year’s event, we sat down with Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO India, to discuss the future of the brand.
Marya, a well-known figure in the industry, confirmed what enthusiasts have been waiting for: the iQOO 15 is coming, and it will be powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. But the real story is iQOO’s strategic shift—a move to redefine its software experience with OriginOS 6 and its identity beyond the ‘gaming’ niche.
Here is everything we learned from a conversation with one of the driving forces behind iQOO’s aggressive growth in the premium segment.
Snapdragon and Performance
The iQOO brand has been synonymous with top-tier Qualcomm silicon since its inception. Marya emphasized that this partnership is not just a commercial arrangement but a foundational alignment of philosophy.
Q: Since we are at Qualcomm’s event, how has your association been in iQOO’s five-year journey?
Nipun Marya (NM): “Right from iQOO’s first flagship, the iQOO 3, all our flagships have been powered by Qualcomm’s flagship chipsets. iQOO is known for high performance and cutting-edge innovation—qualities we also see in Qualcomm. So, our association goes very deep.”
The focus then immediately shifted to the hardware that will define the next generation.
NM: “With the new chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, we are super excited. The iQOO 15 will be powered by this chipset, and I think it’s really going to be a game-changer among iQOO flagships.”
The chip’s importance goes beyond just speed; the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 brings an integrated AI engine and professional-grade multimedia capabilities, essential for the brand’s evolving audience.
Q: Any timeline for the iQOO 15? Should we expect it in early 2025?
NM: “It should happen soon. The right time will come, and when we showcase the product, I’m sure everybody will be super happy with what they see. Let’s see [about 2025].”
OriginOS 6 Goes Global
For years, iQOO devices in India and global markets ran on Funtouch OS, while the Chinese models enjoyed the feature-rich OriginOS. That software split is finally coming to an end.
Q: We’ve also heard you are coming with OriginOS 6. What can users expect compared to Funtouch OS?
NM: “You’re absolutely right. OriginOS 6 is slated for a global launch on October 15. When that happens, devices in India will also get it. We’ve seen how capable OriginOS is in China, and how good the experience can be.”
This is a massive shift that promises to bring a unified, smoother, and more customizable UI to global users, eliminating what some critics viewed as bloat or inconsistencies in the older OS.
Q: Will the experience be the same as in China, or will it be completely revamped?
NM: “Difficult to say right now. Let’s wait for the global launch. [But] after that, you’ll see everything.”
The move to a unified OriginOS 6, based on the next version of Android, places iQOO on a stronger footing to compete with software experiences from global rivals.
Not Just for ‘Gamers’
Since its launch, iQOO has been typecast as a ‘gaming phone’ brand. Marya was eager to officially re-frame the brand’s primary target audience.
Q: Since iQOO’s inception, you’ve been seen as targeting gamers. Who is your real target audience today?
NM: “To some extent, you’re right, but not fully. Gamers are an important cohort, but another very big cohort is people who want the latest phones with innovative technology, especially performance-focused users. These could be white-collar professionals, students, or video editors.”
This distinction is crucial: iQOO is targeting the “power user,” whose needs extend beyond a single use case.
NM: “In fact, when we look at the larger universe of iQOO consumers, the majority don’t play games. They buy iQOO because of the superior performance, innovation, and fully packed products we offer.”
This explains why iQOO packages its flagships with industry-leading fast charging and high-refresh-rate displays, features that appeal to any demanding user.
Camera Comeback and Independent AI
Our conversation naturally moved to two key pillars of a modern flagship – cameras and Artificial Intelligence.
Q: In terms of cameras, what should we expect from iQOO 15’s cameras?
NM: “Both the iQOO 12 and 13 had their strengths. I’ve heard this feedback before. As for the iQOO 15, when we make the global announcement, you’ll see that it will surpass all expectations.”
With the new Snapdragon chip’s enhanced computational photography capabilities, iQOO is signaling a significant investment to make its camera performance competitive with other top-tier flagships.
Q: With AI being the big theme in 2025, will iQOO develop its own AI features or simply rely on vivo’s ecosystem?
NM: “AI is very important for iQOO. Even today, we already have exclusive AI features in gaming that are not borrowed from vivo. iQOO has its own AI capabilities, and this will continue in the future.”
This commitment to in-house AI development suggests a focus on highly optimized, user-centric features, particularly in performance management and gaming efficiency, which will leverage the new dedicated Hexagon NPU within the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Bottomline
iQOO is doubling down on what it knows best, raw, uncompromised performance, but with eyes on a broader audience and a sharper offline presence. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powering its next flagship, and OriginOS 6 going global, the brand is signaling that its next chapter could be its most ambitious yet.
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