IQOO invests in mobile gaming with Neo 10R launch and plans to elevate esports careers

With the launch of the Neo 10R smartphone, iQOO has its eyes set on the Indian gaming market, and for good reasons. Lumikai, in conjunction with Google, posted a report on the Indian gaming market and how it is projected to reach $9.2 billion by the end of the fiscal year 2029. It's clearly a lucrative market, and everyone wants a piece. iQOO is among the leading gaming smartphone makers in India and is investing billions into the market to secure a definitive position.

iQOO's new gaming-centric smartphone comes at a budget-friendly price to make high-end mobile gaming more accessible. The company has also partnered with esports players and streamers like Payal Gaming, GamerFleet, Dynamo Gaming, and more to boost its influence in the Indian esports gaming space. Furthermore, iQOO is also planning to sponsor local esports events and tournaments.

In this article, we will analyze iQOO's investment in the Indian gaming space and its new smartphone launch.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.

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The iQOO Neo 10R, a gaming-centric smartphone, has launched

iQOO Neo 10R in MoonKnight Titanium color (Image via iQOO)

The new iQOO Neo 10R gaming smartphone was launched on March 11, 2025. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which is certified to run BGMI at 90 FPS. The smartphone launched with a large 6400 mAh battery to keep your gameplay session going for long hours on a single charge.

Here are the full specs of the iQOO Neo 10R:

Specifications	Details
Display	6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 144Hz refresh rate
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Operating system	Android 15 with Funtouch 15
Memory & storage	8/12GB RAM and 128/256GB internal storage
Camera setup	50MP dual rear camera with 32MP selfie camera
Battery and charging	6400 mAh Si/C battery with 80W wired fast charging

The device is loaded with flagship-level specs, making it a great choice for mobile gamers. It launched at a starting price of INR 27,000/$310, which sounds like a fantastic deal.

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iQOO invests heavily in the Indian mobile gaming space

iQOO, a gaming-centric smartphone brand from the Vivo group, announced in a recent press release that it is investing heavily in its commitment to the mobile gaming space in India. The brand partnered with Indian esports players and game streamers like Dynamo Gaming, GamerFleet, Mortal, Payal Gaming, Scout, Shreeman Legend, and UnGraduate Gamer for the launch of the iQOO Neo 10R. The new gaming phone was designed and tested in conjunction with them.

In fact, all the game streamers were provided with the new smartphone long before the launch for proper testing and feedback, which allowed iQOO to nail down the performance and price. This phone was tested and certified for esports gaming.

iQOO's goal is to promote esports and mobile gaming to a larger audience, and the launch of iQOO Neo 10R is certainly a great start. The launch event had a great reception, and we were certainly impressed with what iQOO delivered with the new phone.

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iQOO to host local esports events

The launch of iQOO Neo 10R and the company's partnership with Indian game streamers is just a start. As per its recent press release, IQOO plans to delve deeper into the Indian gaming space by sponsoring esports events and tournaments at the grassroots and college levels to attract more players to the competitive gaming scene.

The brand previously served as an official esports sponsor in the Asian Games 2022. It also partnered with six BGMI teams in 2024, and things are only going to get better from here. In fact, Indian esports player Pavan "MrTomboy" Kampelli won a bronze medal in the 2024 Asian Esports Games.

There is a huge potential in the Indian esports space, and it seems iQOO doesn't want to waste this opportunity.

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iQOO would like to contribute to bringing AAA single-player games to Android

Xiaomi's WinPlay service is set to bring Windows games to Android (Image via Xiaomi)

Windows has an enormous library of games, including the likes of GTA 5, Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur's Gate 3, and more, but no one ever expected to play these AAA titles on their smartphones. However, Apple has revolutionized the smartphone gaming industry by bringing blockbuster Windows titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Death Stranding to its iOS devices.

While iOS users are enjoying AAA titles on their smartphones, Android users have yet to experience the same. However, brands like Xiaomi are trying to replicate this process with its WinPlay service, although it is still in the internal testing phase. The difficult installation process and performance loss due to emulation have left most users at arm's length.

iQOO has made considerable investments in gaming, particularly esports and online gaming, but it is not turning a blind eye to those who enjoy AAA single-player games either. However, due to the complex nature of bringing PC games to Android, IQOO (as per its recent press release) would first like to research whether gamers need it before going into the development phase.