Highlights

• iQOO might not launch a new Neo phone in India this year.
• The brand is reportedly looking to refine its flagship lineup.
• The budget iQOO Z11x is set to launch in India today.

iQOO Neo 11 was announced in China back in October 2025, and the brand typically launches a new Neo phone in India in the first half of the year. This year might be different, as a new report suggests iQOO is planning to skip the Neo series for India altogether in 2026. That would make the iQOO Neo 10R and Neo 10 the last of the Neo phones currently available in the country.

Neo is iQOO’s mid-range series, typically priced between Rs 35,000 and Rs 45,000. The phones in the Neo lineup tend to offer the best of both worlds, i.e. close to flagship performance, a solid battery life for gamers and power users, and reliable fast charging. These phones were not designed to impress with their cameras per se, but offer just enough in photography to keep users content.

Gadgets360 reports, citing undisclosed sources, that iQOO will not launch a new Neo phone in India in 2026. Why is iQOO taking this decision? According to the report, iQOO is looking to streamline its portfolio amid the ongoing memory chip shortage, which has been pushing up device prices. The brand wants to focus on cleaner product differentiation and value proposition, and skipping the Neo series is part of that move.

The report adds that iQOO aims to refine its flagship portfolio by offering devices with a clearly defined target audience in mind. The iQOO 15 is the brand’s flagship smartphone, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a 7,000mAh battery, and a 2K OLED display, among other things. The flagship had a launch price of Rs 64,999, undercutting other high-end phones like the OnePlus 15 and Realme GT 8 Pro. Still, the iQOO 15 is more expensive than its predecessor, due to the rising component costs.

Then came the iQOO 15R, the brand’s sub-flagship phone, offering the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, an even larger 7,600mAh battery compared to the iQOO 15, and a 144Hz AMOLED display. This phone is priced just under Rs 50,000.

Unlike brands like Vivo and OPPO, which have been launching several phones to fill up various price segments. iQOO seems to be going for a cleaner, minimalist approach. We might end up seeing fewer iQOO phones this year, if the newest report is anything to go by.

However, that doesn’t mean iQOO is planning to stay quiet for the next few months. The brand is, in fact, launching the iQOO Z11x today, i.e. March 12th, in India. The Z series sits below the Neo lineup, but pricing may see a hike, like that of every other phone launching these days. For your reference, the iQOO Z10x was launched in April last year with a starting price of Rs 13,499. Rumours suggest the iQOO Z11x will be priced just under Rs 20,000.

With smartphone prices rising, it makes sense for brands to take a step back and analyse which of their smartphone lineups make sense to continue in the Indian market and which might need an overhaul. If the Neo lineup isn’t coming this year, iQOO could be working on a brand new series to freshen things up. Only time will tell.

Source: 91mobiles