New features, new colors, better usability
ILUMA Prime i is a premium product with a luxurious aluminum body and a designer door, and the updated version also brings four premium colors — two familiar ones and two brand new. Most of the changes, however, are found in the holder itself, which now features a touchscreen display and new functions. We first introduced the ILUMA i back in April, when we brought one back from Japan. You can also check out our video review.
The Czech market will see the IQOS ILUMA I PRIME arrive first, and we'll have to wait for the rest of the updated lineup. It's worth noting that nothing has changed about the induction heating of the sticks — only TEREA, LEVIA or DELIA sticks can be used.
What's new in the IQOS ILUMA i
Touchscreen display
The biggest change is obvious at first glance: the button for starting the heating and the indicator lights are gone, replaced entirely by a touchscreen display that shows both the charge level and the heating progress. Once heating starts, a ring runs around the edge of the display, filling up as it heats and then counting down as you use the stick.
Pausing the heating
A major new feature is the ability to pause the heating of a stick. A smooth downward swipe on the display pauses the heating, the holder cools down, and the display shows four bars indicating pause — but it's ready to be reactivated at any time with an upward swipe. This can come in handy while waiting for transport, for employees on a short break, or anyone else who doesn't have time to finish an entire stick in one go. This feature can be used within the first three minutes of heating and can last up to 8 minutes.
TIP: To reactivate heating more quickly after a pause, simply pull the stick out and reinsert it.
FlexPuff + 4 extra puffs
If you draw more gently, the holder automatically detects this and can offer up to four extra puffs per stick. The IQOS.com app also lets you set two heating levels:
- Performance: Up to three consecutive sticks without pausing, or two sticks with pausing.
- Eco: A single use of a stick with no option to pause heating.
Two brightness levels
The display has two adjustable brightness levels. While using it, simply tap it five times quickly to lower or raise the level. By default, the lower level is set, which may not always be bright enough, e.g. in sunlight.
Checking the charge level
If you give the holder a gentle shake, one or two bars will light up to show the charge level; if none light up, the holder needs charging. This feature is already familiar from the previous model, where the indicator light used to glow orange.
TIP: Reset: If the letter E appears on the display, hold the button on the charger for 10 seconds.
Conclusion and price
Progress can't be stopped — the new touchscreen display is a nice touch, showing the current status of the stick clearly, and the pause function may come in handy for some users. From our point of view, it does have downsides too: it's somewhat less visible in sunlight than the indicator lights on the previous model, and it's harder to feel for by touch than a button. In keeping with modern trends, the box no longer includes a charger, containing only a cable, as with phones.
The IQOS ILUMA i PRIME is available in the online store and at branded retailers; the current official device price on iqos.com is 2,690 CZK (Czech market). You can find the price calculation with code 11466SAG and the current promotion terms on the Buy IQOS at a discount page (Czech market only).