A turn in the roadmap
According to the leak, iQOO has paused work on the device everyone casually called the iQOO 15 Mini. That’s a surprise, mostly because earlier chatter said the Mini would arrive next to the Ultra model. Even the same source hinted a few weeks ago that testing was underway, so the timing feels a bit abrupt.
What the Mini was shaping up to be
The phone itself had an interesting pitch: a smaller 6.3-inch flat display, an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, and—oddly for a compact phone—a 7,000 mAh battery. There were also mentions of gaming triggers and a tiny cooling fan, which made it sound like a miniature gaming device rather than a typical “small flagship.”
All of that now appears to be on hold.
What happens to the lineup
The Ultra is rumored to carry over most of the regular model’s hardware but with stronger cooling and maybe a reshaped camera island. Some industry watchers think it will land in the first half of 2026. Others aren’t confident enough to commit to a month yet.
Competitors are not slowing down
While iQOO seems to be stepping back, other brands are moving forward with their own compact phones for 2026:
Most of them, except the OnePlus device, are expected to rely on MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500-series chips.
Oppo and Vivo, in particular, seem to be refreshing their current flagships and offering smaller versions alongside their Ultra models next year.
What this means for iQOO
So the big question: will iQOO return to the compact idea later, or is this a full stop?
For now, the Mini seems to be off the board. Plans can always shift again, especially if demand for smaller high-end phones grows, but at this moment the line looks set to move ahead without it.
- A new leak claims iQOO has halted development of the iQOO 15 Mini.
- Earlier reports said the Mini would launch alongside the iQOO 15 Ultra.
- The device was expected to feature a 6.3-inch flat screen and a 7,000 mAh battery.
- Rivals including Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Honor are preparing compact flagships for 2026.
- The iQOO 15 Ultra is still expected, but its launch window remains unclear.