iQOO 15 confirmed for October launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chips

The iQOO 15 smartphone is confirmed for an October release and is set to be the first device to feature Qualcomm's latest chip, the fifth-gen Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition chipset. The phone will also reportedly be designated as an official competition phone for the 2025 KPL Annual Finals. Real-life prototypes of the phone have been showcased at a recent Snapdragon Summit.

The smartphone is said to feature a new "Lingyun" color scheme, characterized by a silver-white back cover with a painted silver texture. It will also reportedly feature a 6.85-inch straight screen with rounded corners and wide R angles. A so-called low-temperature matte middle frame will be used, with meticulously polished metal edges for improved grip. The camera will also feature unique ring lights that are said to emit reddish light, creating a "red blade" aesthetic when activated.

The display is also said to be equipped with a 2K Samsung Everest screen with the world's first 2K LEAD OLED display technology. Samsung says that the LEAD OLED display incorporates the company's latest technology, designed for improved clarity while also being more energy-efficient.

The new display will reportedly feature a peak brightness improvement of over 740 percent (up to 6000 nits), while also reducing power consumption by 44 percent compared to the previous panel, although it is unclear which previous panel the firm is referring to. The lifetime of the luminous material is also said to be extended by 50 percent (useful for avoiding burn-ins). The display is also reportedly equipped with an industry-first triple light sensor system (front, back, and top) for full-area photosensitivity and accurate brightness adjustment.

Performance-wise, the smartphone is set to feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 with a 2+6 core architecture, comprising two prime cores operating at 4.6 GHz and six performance cores operating at 3.62 GHz. The chip is said to offer a 20 percent performance improvement over the previous generation, while also being 35 percent more efficient and reducing power consumption by 16 percent. The Monster Hyper-Core engine was developed in collaboration with Qualcomm for optimized gaming performance. The chip will also feature enhanced tuning specifically designed to further improve gaming performance.