If you want to stand on the high-end iQOO 9, you have to pay more

[Blue Technology Observation] 2022 has just begun, the mobile phone market has ushered in a new machine frenzy, and the price has also "killed crazy".

For mobile phone brands, the first flagship product of the new year is the best way to show their sincerity to consumers. After all, whether it is for the new year to get a good start, or the enthusiasm of consumers near the Spring Festival. The first flagship mobile phone at the beginning of the year can not only help mobile phone manufacturers to help high-end development, but also enhance the brand image of products in the hearts of users.

However, creating a flagship phone that is full of experience in all aspects is not a one-time thing. It not only contains complex knowledge, but also contains the precipitation of the foundation. As a new brand that has been established in 2019 for less than three years, iQOO obviously has a journey to break through.

The innately powerful iQOO is not only powerful in terms of performance but also price

It is undeniable that as the first flagship mobile phone of the new year, the iQOO 9 series is also full of sincerity. The iQOO 9 series is equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen1 processor, equipped with enhanced LPDDR5 memory + overclocking version UFS 3.1 flash memory, built-in independent display chip Pro. In terms of performance, it can be said that the pile has been "seriously overflowed".

In terms of screen, the iQOO 9 has a 6.78-inch 2D flexible direct screen on the front, equipped with Samsung's new generation of E5 luminescent material screen, which supports a high refresh rate of 120Hz and a 100Hz instantaneous touch sampling rate. iQOO 9 Pro adopts 6.78-inch flexible curved screen, supports 3200x1440 2K resolution, is also equipped with Samsung's new generation E5 light-emitting material screen, and adopts LPTO stepless variable speed, which can intelligently adapt to high refresh rate.

In terms of photography, the iQOO 9 is rear-mounted as the Samsung GN5 super-sensitive main camera, 1/1.57" outsole, supports full pixel focus Pro and OIS optical image stabilization, ultra-low reflection coating and pigment spin coating, and an IMX663 portrait lens + 13mp ultra-wide angle. iQOO 9 Pro is also the main camera of Samsung GN5, supporting micro-gimbal 2.0, with full-pixel dual-core focus Pro picture stability, and through UAR, pigment spin coating, etc. to reduce ghost glare, as well as 50 million pixel fisheye ultra-wide angle lens + 6 million pixel telephoto portrait lens.

The battery capacity of both mobile phones is 4700mAh, iQOO 9 supports 120W wired fast charging, iQOO 9 Pro In addition to 120W wired fast charging, there are 50W wireless flash charging, 10W wireless reverse charging, and the package comes with iQOO's first 120W GaN charger.

From the perspective of performance configuration, as a new generation of mobile phone brands, iQOO's ambition to seize the market is self-evident. However, from the moment you see the price, everything becomes a little subtle. The 4,000 yuan iQOO 9 and the 5,000 yuan iQOO 9 Pro have also officially surpassed the Xiaomi 12 series and become the most expensive Snapdragon 8 Gen1 flagship mobile phone so far, allowing netizens to call "unaffordable".

Is the iQOO consumer approval priced at nearly 5,000 yuan?

Today's mobile phone manufacturers, the occupation of the high-end mobile phone market is also the ultimate direction of their own development and survival. For flagship models, many manufacturers believe that "high price, sufficient configuration, and good experience" is the standard of flagship models. However, these definitions are only one of the fundamental elements of the flagship model. To truly stand firm in the high-end market, it is even more necessary to be recognized by a wide range of consumers.

Compared with other mobile phone brands, iQOO has a clear product positioning from birth, that is, to meet the needs of e-sports enthusiasts. Also with the precision of its positioning, the perfection of quality and the endorsement of the main brand vivo, iQOO has always achieved excellent results on the road of development.

According to the market share list and data of major gaming mobile phone brands released by market research agency Canalys from the second quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2021, iQOO has also occupied the top spot in the gaming mobile phone market with a market share of 23%. Such results are also enough for iQOO, who is not yet three years old, to be proud. But it is precisely because of the focus on the field of game mobile phones that it also fundamentally limits the development of iQOO.

It is undeniable that the mobile game market is now in a stage of rapid development. According to Newzoo statistics, the global game market size is expected to be $175.7 billion in 2021, and the scale of mobile games in 2021 is $79 billion, and the proportion of mobile games in the total size of games exceeds 50% for the first time, reaching 51.6%, showing a continuous upward trend.

However, compared with mobile phone users, users of game phones are still in a niche area. At the same time, under the prejudice of the game in the social scope and various reports about the game, such a category has not been recognized by most consumers, even those who have the strength to buy flagship machines.

More importantly, the performance advantages of flagship machines for consumers are actually not too important. What is more important is whether the phone or the brand can bring face to consumers. For example, Apple's "Pro Max", Huawei's "Mate", and Samsung's "W". Perhaps this type of phone configuration is not the best or the price is not the most suitable. However, this is precisely what can make passers-by pay close attention. And this is not only because of the effect of the mobile phone itself, but also the advantages brought by the brand. And consumers are happy to pay for it, even if the price is already frighteningly high, there are many people who are happy to do it.

Obviously, today's iQOO is far from reaching such a status. Even the main brand vivo has not reached that height. Moreover, the price of iQOO is now close to vivo. It can be said that both the main brand vivo and the sub-brand iQOO have been "fighting" in the same price range.

It is worth noting that today's vivo has not yet launched a flagship model of Snapdragon 8. According to the price of vivo's mobile phone for many years, it can also be judged that even in the impact of the high-end market, the starting price range of vivo's first flagship mobile phone in the new year will be about 5,000 yuan, and it may even be in the 4500 yuan file. In the contrast between the two, no matter which range of consumers, in the choice between the two, vivo is definitely greater than iQOO.

Every mobile phone brand has its own high-end dream. However, in the process of high-end development, it is not only rich in configuration, but also the improvement of brand building and development. As a brand new young brand, iQOO has done well enough, but if it is a flagship phone, iQOO still has a long way to go.

(Image source: Daisaku)

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