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Which IQOS family counts as the newest right now?
The ILUMA i family is the newest that Philip Morris International has put on the market. It started in Japan in March 2024 and has since been rolled out to other markets. Newest here means newest as of our last update, because the manufacturer may introduce a further family at any time, so always check the date on this page.
New devices appear regularly in this industry, which is why the update date is shown at the end of the page.
For what changed in the second generation, see our ILUMA i page, and for a side-by-side view, the model comparison.
All dates in the table below refer to the first market launch, which in every case was Japan.
When did the original blade-based IQOS system begin?
IQOS was first test-marketed in Nagoya, Japan, in November 2014, according to a public health study published abroad. Those early devices used a metal blade that heated HEETS sticks directly. Philip Morris International later grouped every device built on this blade principle under the family name ORIGINALS.
Several versions followed, some with a number added to the name, but all kept the same blade mechanism and the same HEETS sticks. None of them used induction.
The best-known member of this family is covered in IQOS 3 DUO.
Nagoya served as a test market before any wider launch.
What changed when the first ILUMA generation arrived?
ILUMA replaced the blade with induction heating, so no part of the device touches the stick directly. It launched in Japan in August 2021 with two versions at once, the standard model and PRIME, and a ONE model joined the family later. It works only with TEREA sticks, which were made specifically for this system.
Because there is no blade in contact with tobacco, the manufacturer states that ILUMA devices do not need blade cleaning, a point it stressed at launch.
The first-generation models are described in ILUMA PRIME and ILUMA ONE.
Each TEREA stick carries its own sealed metal element, which the device heats by induction.
What did the ILUMA i generation add?
ILUMA i added a touch screen, Pause Mode and FlexPuff, which adapts to the user's puffing rhythm. It launched in Japan in March 2024 with three versions at the same time: the standard model, PRIME and ONE. The induction system and the TEREA sticks stayed exactly the same as in the first generation.
Industry media noted that the launch fell close to ten years after the first Nagoya test, so ILUMA i is often presented as the next step for induction.
The one-piece version is covered on ILUMA i ONE.
Pause Mode and the touch screen are limited to the standard and PRIME versions, since the ONE model has no screen.
Can sticks be shared across the three IQOS families?
Not across heating systems. The ORIGINALS family takes HEETS only, while ILUMA and ILUMA i both take TEREA, because they share the same induction design. Putting a stick into a device from the other heating system can stop the device from working properly or damage the parts inside, so the two worlds should be kept apart.
The full explanation of why HEETS and TEREA are not interchangeable is on HEETS vs TEREA.
This page only summarises compatibility at family level, as part of the timeline.
In short, the dividing line is the heating system, not the year a device was made or the generation name printed on it.
How can I tell which family a device belongs to?
Look into the opening first. A metal blade inside means the ORIGINALS family. An empty opening with no blade means ILUMA or ILUMA i. Then check for a touch screen: if the device has one, it is ILUMA i, and if it relies only on indicator lights, it is the first ILUMA generation, with the exception of the screenless one-piece ILUMA i ONE.
This quick check works without opening the box or reading any paperwork.
To separate standard, PRIME and ONE versions inside one family, use the six-model comparison table, which lists every current device.
The blade is visible without any tools by looking straight into the opening where the stick goes.
Why do the ORIGINALS devices get less coverage on this site?
Our device section concentrates on the ILUMA and ILUMA i families, which use TEREA sticks. The ORIGINALS family appears mainly where it helps explain the timeline and which sticks fit which device. It uses a different heating principle, and the Philippines IQOS site, for example, says those devices were withdrawn there in October 2023.
The rest of the device section is listed on IQOS devices.
Whichever family a device belongs to, official travel advice treats possession and use of heat-not-burn devices in Thailand as illegal; see IQOS in Thailand.
Blade devices still matter for the timeline because many people continue to use them in countries where they are legal.
Will a newer IQOS generation replace ILUMA i?
Possibly. Philip Morris International keeps introducing new devices, so ILUMA i is the newest family only as of our latest check. When a new generation is officially announced, this timeline will be updated from the manufacturer's own press release rather than from rumours or leaked images circulating online.
Special designs such as REMIX are not new generations; they are covered separately in IQOS limited editions.
Every date on this page comes from the sources listed below.
If a new device is launched first in Japan, as ILUMA and ILUMA i were, it will be listed here with that launch month.
| First on the market | Family | Heating system | Sticks |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2014 (Nagoya, Japan) | ORIGINALS | Metal blade | HEETS |
| August 2021 (Japan) | ILUMA (first generation) | SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM | TEREA |
| March 2024 (Japan) | ILUMA i (second generation) | SMARTCORE INDUCTION SYSTEM plus touch screen | TEREA |
Frequently asked questions
How big is the gap between ILUMA i and the first ILUMA?
Does this site still cover the ORIGINALS family?
Could the newest family on this page change?
Where was IQOS first tested?
When did ILUMA launch?
Did all three ILUMA i versions launch together?
Sources
- Philip Morris International Launches New IQOS ILUMA in Japan — official press release (17 Aug 2021)
- Examining perceptions about IQOS heated tobacco product — PMC (US National Library of Medicine)
- IQOS ILUMA i range launch (13 Mar 2024) — Philip Morris International
- How do IQOS models differ from each other? — IQOS Philippines
Read more
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