iQOO 15 will stand true to almost all your daily needs: iQOO CEO Nipun Marya

The iQOO 15 has officially launched in India, and it is easily one of the brand’s most ambitious upgrades yet. You get the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a sharper 2K OLED display, 40W wireless charging, a 50MP periscope camera and a bunch of small refinements that make it feel like a proper step forward from the iQOO 13. But the launch also comes at a time when smartphone components are getting costlier, and flagship prices across the industry are slowly rising. To understand how iQOO is approaching this new reality, what the iQOO 15 means for the brand, and where things are headed next, I sat down with Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO India, for a quick conversation right after the launch. Here are the excerpts from the conversation.

1: The iQOO 15 arrives at a time when the cost of components, especially chipsets, has increased significantly. We’re already seeing flagship prices inch upward across the industry. How has this impacted your pricing strategy for the iQOO 15? And more importantly, will this upward trend eventually trickle down to the mid-range and performance-focused models where iQOO has a strong foothold?

Nipun: So, for the iQOO 15, when it comes to pricing, what we were more focused on was the upgrades we are offering over the iQOO 13. From 13 to 15, there is an upgrade in the chipset, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the latest one. We have the Supercomputing Chip Q3 on the display, significant improvements with the 2K M14 Samsung display, which is the most advanced display a smartphone can have today. Then we have wireless charging, which was missing from the iQOO 13, and the periscope camera, which was also missing. Overall, the package has become much stronger. When we were pricing the product, we had to keep these upgrades in mind, along with the supply chain prices, which have suddenly become very high. Still, I believe that at Rs 64,999, the price at which people will be able to get the iQOO 15 in the first few days, the price is phenomenal for the value it offers.

2: And what about the mid-range phones? Since component prices are rising, will this pricing trend also trickle down to your mid-range and affordable models?

Nipun: The way we are seeing the industry right now, I think it will. How much and which models, and until what price segments, time will tell. But certainly, the news in the industry and in the supply chain ecosystem is that prices are going to be affected across all model ranges and sectors.

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3: Every iQOO number series has pushed performance, but this year, users are expecting a more visible leap. Beyond the raw chipset upgrade, what are the real-world improvements users will notice immediately, especially in scenarios where last year’s iQOO 13 already performed extremely well?

Nipun: You’re absolutely right. The iQOO 13 was really loved by everyone who used it. With the iQOO 15, no stone has been left unturned when it comes to taking the flagship game to the next level. You talk about display, camera, battery, a 7000mAh silicon-carbon battery, completely new technology, then wireless charging. In every aspect you touch upon, and these are all real-life use cases, you will see significant improvement. For example, the periscope 3x lens was missing last time, but is now present. Your portraits are going to be much better because we’ve added a new 85mm focal length. For people who work in IT or other white-collar jobs, we have introduced Origin OS 6, which packs in a whole lot of features. My favourite is the Office Kit because I can mirror my phone to my PC or Mac and use it seamlessly. One Tap Transfer helps a lot. Overall, in any aspect that you use the iQOO 15, you will be pleasantly surprised.

4: Cameras have become a major battleground in the premium segment. For the iQOO 15, what specific problems were you trying to solve? Was the priority cleaner low-light output, faster computational photography, more stable video, or narrowing the gap with other flagship camera phones?

Nipun: With the iQOO 15, we have a clear advantage from Vivo, because Vivo invests heavily and has great expertise in cameras. So we are able to borrow a lot of that goodness into iQOO, which gives us a head start. From the iQOO 13, we certainly had feedback, especially in two areas. One was the periscope, and the other was low light. On both fronts, we have made significant improvements with the triple 50MP setup. Whether it’s 4K recording or any other feature you ask for, the iQOO 15 will stand true to almost all your daily needs.

5: AI has become the buzzword of 2025, but consumers still don’t fully understand what meaningful AI looks like on smartphones. For iQOO, where is AI actually moving the needle? Is it more about on-device intelligence, better camera tuning, gaming optimisation, or long-term software possibilities?

Nipun: I believe that because we are in the tech space, we are always looking for something new as a headline. AI will have a long-lasting impact on our smartphones and technology. AI is a long-term story because it has implications and use cases across multiple segments. You are a photographer; there can be AI enhancements. You are a white-collar worker; AI multitasking gets better. You are a gamer; again, there can be improvements. Even in daily use cases, we are using AI for better thermal management in the phone. There will be use cases that consumers will directly access, and others that will work in the background to enhance user experience. AI will be an evolution rather than a revolution; incremental improvements every time.

6: Peak numbers look great on paper, but sustained performance has always been the differentiator for iQOO. For extended gaming, thermals and stability matter more than benchmarks. What engineering changes: thermal design, materials, software optimisation, have been made this year to keep the iQOO 15 stable under continuous heavy load?

Nipun: You’re absolutely right. You can get peak performance, but if the phone starts heating, performance will throttle. Cooling is very important. We have the industry’s largest 8K VC cooling system, because we know people with a phone like this, which is so power-packed, will want to stretch it to its limits and play extended sessions. With the iQOO 15, because the VC cooling system is so strong, there will be no issues. Heat dissipation has increased by up to 50%, so there will be no challenges in terms of heating or performance slowdown.

7: The premium Android market is extremely competitive now. In that context, what gap is the iQOO 15 filling? Is it aiming to be a pure performance flagship, or do you see it evolving into a more well-rounded premium device competing directly with the biggest players?

Nipun: The iQOO 15 occupies a very sweet spot. A lot of consumers today want to buy a phone in the Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 price range and are looking for no compromises. If you are spending Rs 65,000 to Rs 70,000 in India, you deserve the best, whether it’s camera, performance, thermals, wireless charging, or display. With the iQOO 15, all your needs are answered. Hence, it will be the automatic choice for people wanting to buy a phone in this price bracket.

8: One criticism that performance-centric brands often face is long-term consistency: software support, optimisation over time, and heat management as hardware ages. How is iQOO addressing long-term reliability and sustained performance across the product life cycle?

Nipun: We have already promised a 5+7 Android software update policy for the iQOO 15. And it’s not just the 15, even the 13, 12 and models before. We have one of the best track records when it comes to delivering monthly patches and regular updates. We do a good job there and will continue to do so. Constant software support, good thermal management and long-lasting performance are guaranteed.

9: Finally, as you look ahead to 2026, what’s the internal focus area for iQOO? Is it software maturity, AI-driven personalisation, deeper gaming partnerships, or expanding further into the premium flagship territory?

Nipun: iQOO is still only five years old. Building a long-lasting brand will take more years, and we are ready for it. iQOO is being built for the long term, keeping in mind that consumers will love the devices and recommend them to their friends and family. For 2026, the focus will be the same as the years before: focusing on our basics and fundamentals, knowing our consumers better, and making products they value and love. That’s the start and the end for iQOO.

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