[Update] iQOO Z9 Lite Appears on Google Play Console, Revealing a different story

Update on 2nd July 2024: iQOO has officially revealed that the Z9 Lite 5G will be powered by the Dimensity 6300 SoC, confirming my suspicions about the odd Google Play Console listing. The device will launch on July 15th in the Indian market, as officially announced.

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Vivo recently launched the T3 Lite smartphone in the Indian market, sparking rumours that it would launch as the iQOO Z9 Lite, making it the third member of the iQOO Z9 series in India. Adding to this speculation, the device has now been spotted on the Google Play Console, which reveals a different story altogether.

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G Google Play Console

It is listed with the model number “I2306,” the same model number that recently appeared on the Bluetooth SIG, revealing its moniker to be iQOO Z9 Lite 5G.

Interestingly, the chipset listed has the model number “MT6853T,” pointing to the MediaTek Dimensity 800U. However, the chipset has two clusters with 2 cores clocked at 2GHz and 6 cores at 2GHz. Previous rumours suggested it would be a rebranded version of the Vivo T3 Lite, but this listing suggests otherwise.

Another notable detail is how the cores are clocked and that the GPU shown here is the Mali G57 (748MHz). This might indicate the chipset is underclocked, or the listing itself may be faulty. So, take this information with a grain of salt. Additionally, it is revealed to have at least 4GB of RAM and will run on Android 14 OS. The screen resolution is 720×1612, with a screen density of 300 DPI.

The placeholder image also doesn’t match what we saw in the earlier leaked poster, so there’s no point in discussing it.

Earlier reports suggested it would come in two colour options: brown and blue. And will break cover in India in mid-July. An unofficially revealed poster shows a design similar to the Vivo T3 Lite. Let’s wait and see how iQOO positions this smartphone for Indian users.