Philip Morris Korea announced on the 5th that it will launch a new series of heated tobacco products called 'IQOS ILUMA i'. Although it opened the heated tobacco market, interest is focused on whether IQOS can reclaim its throne after being overshadowed by KT&G.
Yoon Hee-kyung, CEO of Philip Morris Korea, held a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, to introduce the new products. The IQOS ILUMA i series is a non-combustion product being launched in South Korea two years after the introduction of the IQOS ILUMA One in 2023. It was first released in Japan in March of last year.
Prior to the launch of the new products, Philip Morris Korea lowered the prices of its existing products, IQOS 'ILUMA' and 'ILUMA One'. This is in an effort to regain market share that was lost to KT&G's Lil.
Initially, Philip Morris entered the Korean heated tobacco market as a frontrunner, recording the top market share, but after conceding the number one position to KT&G's Lil series, it has remained in second place. As of last year, it is reported that Lil holds about 50% of the market share, while Philip Morris holds around 40%.
Recently, competition in the heated tobacco market has intensified. In October of last year, Japan Tobacco International released a new heated tobacco product, 'Ploom X Advanced,' in the domestic market. British American Tobacco also introduced 'Hyper,' which compensates for the shortcomings of existing products.
According to Philip Morris Korea, the IQOS ILUMA i series comes with various features. One of the characteristics of this product is the 'touchscreen' installed in the holder. Users can check the device's preheating status, remaining usage time, and remaining usage counts through the touchscreen.
'Pause mode' is a feature that allows users to pause device usage for up to 8 minutes by sliding down the holder's touchscreen. By sliding the touchscreen back up, users can resume usage without wasting dedicated tobacco sticks. This can be useful when there is a sudden phone call or an unexpected meeting that requires a brief stop in usage.
If the pause mode is not used, users can use the holder for up to 3 consecutive uses with a single charge. The 'Flex Puff' feature has also been added. This takes into account the fact that each IQOS user's usage pattern and inhalation speed vary. It allows for up to 4 additional puffs for a maximum of 6 minutes, based on the analysis of individual usage patterns.
The new products will be released in two varieties: 'IQOS ILUMA i Prime' and 'IQOS ILUMA i.' Both products apply the same 'Smart Core Induction System' as the existing IQOS ILUMA series, which heats the tobacco uniformly from the inside, providing a consistent experience without leaving any residue after use, thereby eliminating the need for device cleaning.
The new IQOS ILUMA i series will be available for purchase nationwide at official IQOS sales locations, convenience stores, and the official IQOS online store starting from the 13th. Prior to that, pre-orders will begin on the 7th at nine official IQOS stores and the official IQOS online store.
Yoon said, 'When we parted ways with Marlboro and introduced non-combustion products, there were skeptical views in the public,' but noted, 'Currently, more than 36 million adult smokers in 92 countries around the world, including Korea, have made their choice.'