From “Vapor Cigarettes” to “Invisible Vapor”: Snowplus Uses Innovation to Reduce the Impact on Bysta

In 2003, the world's first electronic vapor cigarette product "Ru Yan" was launched—this product, independently developed by a Chinese team, marked the beginning of a new technological development phase for "smoking".

However, 16 years later, 2019 was only the "first year" for electronic cigarettes in China—compared to the U.S. market, which had already seen the emergence of $50 billion-level electronic cigarette unicorns, it seemed a bit slow. During this period, researchers made various innovations based on vapor cigarettes, gradually gaining acceptance among smokers.

The War Between Vapor Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco

The early "Ru Yan" was not a mass consumer product; its price of over a thousand yuan deterred many smokers who wanted to try a new smoking experience.

An early user of Ru Yan stated that issues such as complicated usage, unstable experience, and oil leakage dampened the enthusiasm of many who wanted to try it. "At that time, many smokers around me believed that electronic cigarette technology was far from mature, so it was difficult for everyone to be willing to try similar products in the short term."

After a few years of silence, heated tobacco electronic cigarettes led by IQOS began to rise in the international market. Simply put, heated tobacco involves using a heating stick to roast special tobacco sticks (i.e., tobacco pods), which evaporate vapor for smokers to inhale when heated to around 350 degrees Celsius.

According to data from various analyses of smoke, heated tobacco can reduce the inhalation of nearly 80% of harmful substances found in traditional tobacco. Since its launch, IQOS quickly became popular in Europe and the U.S., but its high price and usage barriers, along with its illegal status in China, prevented IQOS from becoming widespread in the Chinese market.

In 2015, the American vaping brand Juul launched an electronic cigarette using patented e-liquid technology, bringing vaporization technology back into the public eye. Four years later, Juul has become a leading global electronic cigarette brand, present in multiple markets across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

The "Small Revolution" of Invisible Vapor Electronic Cigarettes

Juul's success is inseparable from the industry's pursuit of technology and experience. After addressing issues such as vaporization efficiency, oil leakage, and severe burnt wicks, small vaping devices began to be accepted by more consumers, and the harm reduction concept has become a consensus among more and more electronic cigarette companies.

While e-liquids and IQOS satisfy smokers' needs through nicotine (or nicotine salts), these low-barrier products still attract some young people and even minors due to their "cloud-chasing" characteristics.

China has 350 million smokers, and such a large market base means that minors may "passively" come into contact with cigarettes in many scenarios. As a new product, how to ensure that minors do not become electronic cigarette users before comprehensive national standards are established is one of the key issues discussed in the industry.

In addition, since its inception, electronic cigarettes have faced challenges from environmental protection, public health, and health concerns. To address these issues, the industry's first "invisible vapor" was born. Snowplus aims to achieve triple protection for the environment, society, and consumers with its "non-intrusive" concept.

The emergence of this product stems from a story during Snowplus's product promotion.

As a product focused on experience, Snowplus has a group of loyal users who frequently provide feedback on product experiences—one of whom proposed the concept of invisible vapor. As a parent, he suggested whether there could be an electronic cigarette that produces no visible vapor, allowing him to "smoke" without disturbing those around him with "secondhand smoke".

"After this idea was proposed, we found the concept of 'invisible smoke' very interesting and meaningful. If realized, it could even become an innovation point for the industry. We then visited several e-liquid manufacturers to discuss the technical feasibility of achieving 'smokeless' and ultimately found a manufacturer to collaborate with us on product development and production," the Snowplus team stated.

According to reports, the core of this invisible vapor electronic cigarette lies in the innovative formulation of e-liquid, which differs from traditional e-liquids. After inhalation, it achieves a "pure gaseous" experience; at the same time, by making the vapor particles smaller after heating and vaporization, this e-liquid uses a lower nicotine amount to provide users with better satisfaction, while the liquid particles are so small that they become invisible. "The technology behind invisible vapor e-liquid was not originally developed specifically for the electronic cigarette field; its principles are similar to those of medical aerosol absorption. Therefore, during use, the effective components of this e-liquid can be fully absorbed and metabolized without burdening the human body."

Throughout history, whether traditional tobacco or electronic cigarette products, "smoke" has always existed objectively. Although this smoke provides users with visual satisfaction to some extent, it also brings "secondhand smoke" troubles to others. The birth of invisible vapor has largely addressed this issue.

The Future of Electronic Cigarettes Still Requires Technological Advancement

From Ru Yan to heated tobacco, and now to the current small vaping industry "windfall", it is inseparable from the researchers' pursuit of new technologies and better experiences. The explosion of the electronic cigarette market in 2019 was not merely driven by capital.

Electronic cigarette companies are responding to consumer demands with technology. Meeting consumer needs through technological innovation is akin to how Ru Yan opened the electronic cigarette category and how nicotine salts influenced the development of e-liquids, both of which are innovations in smoke products. The emergence of Snowplus's invisible vapor and lower nicotine e-liquid products is also a continuous response to new consumer demands. Reports indicate that Juul is also testing a new Bluetooth product to monitor smoking frequency and inhalation volume.

Technology is becoming a new barrier in the current electronic cigarette competition. In addition to technological innovation, leading domestic electronic cigarette companies are also employing various means to prevent minors from accessing electronic cigarettes. For example, Snowplus launched the "Angel Protection Action," and RELX introduced the "Guardian Program," both fundamentally aimed at reducing minors' opportunities to come into contact with and consume electronic cigarettes.

Taking Snowplus as an example, the brand has implemented systematic measures in product packaging, online and offline channels, and market promotion, striving to reduce and eliminate the possibility of minors coming into contact with and consuming electronic cigarettes from the source. "This 'invisible vapor' is a phased success for us. On one hand, it can satisfy users' personal experiences and needs; on the other hand, it reduces the obvious behavioral inducement for minors, especially preventing negative demonstrations for teenagers, maximizing the extent to which minors are not attracted by visible 'smoke' and preventing them from wanting to try it."

The specific experience of invisible vapor electronic cigarettes still needs market evaluation, but the industry has never stopped its efforts to enhance experience. Since the establishment of "Ru Yan," the Chinese electronic cigarette industry has tasted the sweetness of technology, and "smokeless" electronic cigarettes will not be the endpoint of innovation.