At Last, the Long-Awaited IQOS Upgrade Has Arrived

IQOS is a foreign e-cigarette brand that has gained popularity in the domestic market over the past two years. IQOS—short for I Quit Original Smoking—has helped many people both domestically and internationally to quit the harms of traditional cigarettes. However, since its launch over four years ago, IQOS has only upgraded from its original version to the 2.4 Plus version. Compared to other rapidly evolving electronic products, its upgrade speed is not particularly fast, but this has better ensured the quality of each update. Recently, we finally received news of the fourth generation of IQOS, and I couldn't wait to share it with everyone.

Looking back at the previous updates of IQOS, we can easily see that the focus of IQOS updates has always been on improving product performance and striving for excellence. Their goal is to provide users with a relatively healthier and safer smoking method and a more effective quitting effect. Therefore, in the previous upgrades, both the smoking experience and product performance have seen significant improvements. Will this fourth generation continue to uphold this tradition?

From the images I've seen, the most noticeable change in this new IQOS e-cigarette is in its material and shape. The smoke stick and heater have changed from their previous styles; not only has the shell become a matte material, but the shape of the heater is no longer a standard rectangular prism. One side has an additional section, serving as a separate opening area. Previously, the opening was on the heater itself, resembling the charging port of a power bank. I wonder what new experiences this independent opening will bring us?

As a long-time user of IQOS since 2015, my main concern with IQOS remains its quitting effect. Each generation of IQOS e-cigarettes has made various improvements in performance, but the core technology—heat-not-burn technology—remains unchanged. This technology heats the tobacco without burning it, and compared to traditional e-cigarettes that use distillation technology, this method provides a warmer and more impactful smoking sensation, closely resembling the experience of real cigarettes.

Compared to traditional cigarettes, the temperature achieved through heating is much lower, effectively reducing the release of many harmful substances. Most tar is released through the incomplete combustion of cigarettes, and IQOS's heating method fundamentally addresses this issue. Additionally, this technology brings a derived advantage—cleaner smoke. With less tar, the heaviness of the smoke flavor is naturally reduced, making IQOS's smoke taste much cleaner, which is a significant reason why it can help users gradually quit traditional cigarettes.

Therefore, I believe that this upgrade will not change the heat-not-burn technology. As for whether there will be new attempts based on this technology, we will only know once the product is in hand.