The long-rumored iQOO 15 Mini is suddenly looking like a phone that will never see the light of day. After the standard iQOO 15 was made official last month, many fans expected a compact companion to follow, bringing flagship-level power to a smaller body. 
Early leaks painted an exciting picture, but a new report now claims that development of the Mini has quietly been shelved.
Back in August, insiders suggested that the iQOO 15 lineup would eventually expand with a Mini model positioned as a more pocket-friendly alternative to the main device. The phone was reportedly built around a 6.3-inch flat display with reasonably slim bezels, striking a careful balance between one-handed use and immersive content consumption. An ultrasonic fingerprint scanner integrated under the screen was also on the cards, a premium security feature that usually appears on high-end flagships rather than mid-range spin-offs.
Perhaps the most ambitious part of the leaked spec sheet was the battery. Rumors pointed to a huge 7,000 mAh cell, an unusually large capacity for a device that was still being marketed as relatively compact. For heavy gamers, streamers, and social media addicts, that kind of endurance could have meant all-day use, marathon gaming sessions, and far fewer emergency top-ups. It would have positioned the iQOO 15 Mini as one of the rare small phones that do not sacrifice battery life for size.
According to well-known Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station, however, iQOO has now stopped work on the iQOO 15 Mini altogether. The information, shared on Weibo, suggests that the company has shifted focus away from this small powerhouse and is instead concentrating its efforts on other models in the family. As always with early leaks, nothing is officially confirmed, but the tone of the report makes the Mini’s cancellation sound likely rather than speculative.
If this plays out, the regular iQOO 15 will be accompanied only by a top-tier sibling next year: the iQOO 15 Ultra, which some leaks say could eventually launch under the Pro name in certain markets. This higher-end version is rumored to double down on raw performance and gaming, positioning the series as a serious alternative to dedicated gaming phones from more established players in that niche.
Reports describe the iQOO 15 Ultra as a device built with gamers front and center. Dedicated physical gaming triggers should offer more precise control in shooters and racing titles, while a built-in active cooling fan is said to keep temperatures in check during long sessions. Paired with a flagship chipset, fast charging, and aggressive performance tuning, the Ultra is shaping up to be the true showcase for iQOO’s hardware ambitions.
The disappearance of the iQOO 15 Mini will inevitably disappoint users who prefer smaller Android phones but still want huge batteries and premium hardware. The broader smartphone market has been steadily drifting toward larger screens and plus-sized flagships, and the apparent cancellation of this model underlines how rare truly compact yet powerful devices have become. For iQOO, trimming the lineup may simplify production and marketing, but it leaves a noticeable gap for fans who liked the idea of a dense, battery-heavy compact.
Still, until iQOO makes an official announcement, there remains a slim chance that plans could shift again behind the scenes. Roadmaps do change, and prototypes sometimes come back from the dead. But if the current leaks hold true, fans hoping for that 6.3-inch, 7,000 mAh Mini will need to look elsewhere – or accept that, this generation, the upcoming iQOO 15 Ultra is the only real upgrade path and the main stage where iQOO’s flagship vision will play out.
1 comment
DCS is usually right but I still hope this leak is wrong :/