Review of domestic and international heated tobacco brands

Seeing the title, you might think of IQOS, but the history of heated tobacco products goes back a long way. The world's first heated tobacco product, Premier, was developed by the American Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1988. Ten years later, in 1998, tobacco giant Philip Morris International launched the heated smoking device Accord, which used an electric heating mode. As the first heated tobacco electronic cigarette produced by the international tobacco giant Philip Morris, IQOS was launched in June 2014 and quickly shook the position of traditional cigarettes in the international market, marking the beginning of a new era for heated tobacco electronic cigarettes worldwide.

　　First, let me clarify. “Heated tobacco” cigarettes differ from electronic cigarettes, which “use electronic devices to heat e-liquid and vaporize it for inhalation.” Instead, they “use electronic devices to heat tobacco materials and inhale the smoke produced.” The tobacco being roasted is real tobacco, not nicotine-containing e-liquid. These new types of tobacco products still belong to the category of cigarettes, but by using electronic devices to consume them, they can precisely control the heating temperature to around 300 degrees, avoiding combustion and thereby controlling the release of smoke components, significantly reducing the production of harmful substances.

　　In China, due to regulatory resistance, foreign “heated tobacco” products have not yet been able to invade the Chinese market on a large scale, which has, to some extent, allowed domestic tobacco companies to gain time to grow. In recent years, significant breakthroughs have been made in the research and development of such products domestically, with several strong contenders emerging, and the battle between domestic and international “heated tobacco” electronic cigarette brands is about to begin.

　　Below, we will summarize the powerful brands that have officially joined this “heated tobacco” battle in both domestic and international markets.

　　Let's first look at international market brands:

　　1. IQOS

　　IQOS, as the pioneer of the “heated tobacco” category, is already a well-known international brand. Supported by the world's largest tobacco company, Philip Morris International, and backed by the Marlboro brand, IQOS is destined to be a leader in this field. It has always been imitated but never truly surpassed. IQOS is currently available in 30 countries, including Japan, Italy, South Korea, and Ukraine.
　　IQOS's heating device uses a ceramic heating element structure, with a separate heating rod and heating chamber. After each cigarette, it requires a 4-minute charge to reduce the user's smoking volume. This design concept has always been controversial, seen as both a disadvantage and an advantage. It depends on the user's needs—whether they prefer a quick puff or want to find a balance between enjoyment and health.

　　IQOS's exclusive tobacco sticks mainly include three brands: Marlboro, HEETS, and Parliament. The current official price for the standard version is 838 yuan.

　　2. LIL

　　LIL is a product developed by KT&G, the largest domestic tobacco product manufacturer in South Korea, and is also the first heated tobacco product in Korea. In terms of background strength and brand recognition, LIL can be considered one of IQOS's competitors in the international market.

　　LIL's device is relatively compact, using a round heating column structure with an integrated design. In terms of design philosophy, LIL can continuously puff about 20 sticks, which is quite different from IQOS. LIL has its own exclusive tobacco sticks, FIIT, but it is also compatible with Marlboro, Parliament, and HEETS (IQOS's exclusive tobacco sticks).
　　3. Glo

　　Glo is a heated tobacco device developed by another global tobacco giant, British American Tobacco (BAT), launched globally in Japan in December 2016. Additionally, BAT has also launched heated tobacco cigarettes Glo in Switzerland and Canada in April and May 2017, respectively. Overall, British American Tobacco plans to expand the sales range of Glo to about 20 countries by the end of 2018, closely following IQOS in global layout.
　　It is worth mentioning that before Glo's launch in Japan, IQOS had just completed its nationwide promotion in Japan and achieved immediate results. Japan has 20 million smokers, and Japanese consumers are very keen to try new products and technologies, making Japan a battleground for major heated tobacco electronic cigarette brands since 2016.
　　Glo also has its own exclusive tobacco sticks, Dunhill, but its stick shape is completely different from LIL and IQOS, so they cannot be interchanged. Glo is priced at around 600 yuan.

Now let's take a look at domestic heated tobacco brands

　　1. Yunnan Zhongyan Webacco

　　Yunnan Zhongyan was established in 2003 and is currently the largest provincial tobacco industrial company in China. On April 16, 2018, Yunnan Tobacco International Co., Ltd. signed a distribution agreement for the “MC” brand low-temperature heated tobacco cigarettes with Korea's IF Tobacco Co., Ltd. in Kunming, marking the official entry of Yunnan Zhongyan's first batch of low-temperature heated tobacco cigarettes into the Korean market.

　　Webacco has two usage methods: after charging, it can be used separately with the heating rod, which requires a 5-minute charging time; when the battery is low, the heating rod can also be placed in the charging case for simultaneous charging and use. This is a unique feature. Since the diameter of Webacco Mate1's tobacco sticks is larger than that of other sticks, standard tobacco sticks are not very suitable, so Webacco Mate1 also has its own custom tobacco sticks.

　　2. AMO

　　AMO is an intelligent electronic cigarette brand under Shenzhen Shunbao Technology Co., Ltd., and its original intention and design philosophy are closest to IQOS among heated tobacco brands.

　　From the introduction of the heated tobacco brands above, you may notice an interesting phenomenon: the vast majority of brands design their heating rods with “continuous puffing” capabilities, and some brands even heavily criticize what they consider to be IQOS's “fatal flaw” of “smoking for 6 minutes, charging for 5 minutes” in their promotions to elevate their own brand's “continuous puffing” advantage. However, AMO, like IQOS, adheres to a “health-first” design philosophy, requiring a 4-minute charge after each puff. In fact, “continuous puffing” is not a technical challenge; it merely depends on the battery life of the heating rod or whether the heating rod and charging case are designed as a single unit. I believe both IQOS and AMO can achieve this. This design choice reflects the philosophy and attitude behind a brand. While “continuous puffing” may better satisfy a smoker's needs, electronic cigarette news appreciates brands that can maintain a “health concept” from a broader perspective.

　　AMO also adopts a separate design for the power bank and heating rod, but it has a unique advantage: it has launched an app that can connect to the device via Bluetooth. The app can record the device's usage in real-time, provide feedback on the user's smoking data, help users formulate quitting plans, and assist in achieving them. Additionally, smokers can directly purchase AMO's official products through the app and share their quitting experiences, forming their own social circle of smokers, creating a healthy social platform for smokers. According to information disclosed by AMO on JD crowdfunding, its market price is approximately 699 yuan.

　　This is the most innovative heated tobacco brand that electronic cigarette news has seen so far, combining products with a vast application space and the immense value of big data platforms, creating infinite possibilities for the brand!

　　3. Huo Qi GS5.0

　　Huo Qi GS5.0 is the first heated tobacco product from Shenzhen Huashang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The birth of Huo Qi GS5.0 stemmed from its general manager's experience of quitting cigarettes after using IQOS. Later, improvements and upgrades were made based on some user-unfriendly aspects encountered during the use of IQOS, leading to research on heated tobacco electronic cigarettes. With years of experience operating foreign brands, Huo Qi GS5.0 has a fashionable business style and a strong sense of quality. The product has quickly gained popularity in the electronic cigarette community since its release.

　　Huo Qi GS5.0 features real-time temperature adjustment technology, allowing users to adjust to their preferred real tobacco flavor, while being compatible with mainstream heated tobacco sticks on the market. One device offers multiple choices, reducing costs; it uniquely starts in 5 seconds, allowing users to puff immediately without waiting, with an ultra-long battery life that can last for 15-20 tobacco sticks on a single charge, providing longer enjoyment; it has a replaceable heating element, allowing for easy replacement without after-sales costs; and it features a one-button cleaning function for the heating element, making it quick and smart—this is a new feature not found in other heated tobacco electronic cigarettes.

　　In the lucrative market of heated tobacco electronic cigarettes, new entrants are emerging like mushrooms after rain. Although this type of tobacco has not yet been legalized in mainland China, many companies have invested in the production of heated devices and tobacco sticks, and its legalization in China is likely just a matter of time. Once legalized, the “heated tobacco” brand war will undoubtedly create a sweeping trend in the Chinese market. Fortunately, domestic heated tobacco brands have risen rapidly and are on high alert. I hope that while supporting domestic products, domestic brands can truly carve out a proud and strategic path for themselves.