Product | PMI Pilots bonds by IQOS and blends in Japan, Testing a New Heated Tobacco Platform

Key Points

• PMI launches bonds by IQOS and blends in Japan.
• Uses Round Heat external heating technology.
• Different architecture from IQOS ILUMA induction heating.
• Four dedicated blends stick variants introduced.
• Regional pilot started on July 6, 2026.

2Firsts

July 30, 2026

Philip Morris International (PMI) has begun testing a new heated tobacco platform in Japan with bonds by IQOS and dedicated blends tobacco sticks. Rather than being an upgrade of the IQOS ILUMA system, the new platform introduces a separate device-and-consumable ecosystem based on a different heating architecture.

According to PMI Japan materials, bonds by IQOS entered a regional pilot on July 6, 2026, across Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures, with distribution through convenience stores, tobacco retailers, IQOS points, pop-up locations and telesales channels.

A New Heating Architecture Beyond IQOS ILUMA

The key differentiator of bonds by IQOS is its Round Heat Technology heating system.

Unlike IQOS ILUMA’s induction-based heating architecture, the bonds platform uses an external heating approach designed specifically for dedicated blends tobacco sticks.

This marks PMI’s exploration of an additional heating technology route within its Japan heated tobacco portfolio.

As a closed consumable system, the bonds device is compatible only with blends sticks and does not support existing IQOS ILUMA consumables.

Device and Consumables Launched Together

PMI has introduced the device and consumables as a complete system.

The dedicated blends sticks feature a 45mm filtered format designed for the external heating architecture. The initial lineup includes four variants:

• Rich Classics
• Balanced Classics
• Icy Fresh
• Blueberry

By launching the device and consumables together, PMI is testing consumer adoption of an integrated platform rather than evaluating a standalone product.

 Controlled Japan Pilot Tests Market Response

The bonds by IQOS rollout remains a controlled regional pilot rather than a nationwide launch.

The initial markets include:

• Fukuoka;
• Saga;
• Nagasaki.

The device is priced at JPY 2,980, while blends sticks are priced at JPY 570 per pack (20 sticks).

The device weighs approximately 88g, requires around two hours to charge, supports sessions of approximately five minutes, allows up to three consecutive uses, and delivers up to 28 sessions per full charge.

Industry Perspective

The introduction of bonds by IQOS indicates that PMI is exploring a second heated tobacco platform beyond the IQOS ILUMA ecosystem.

IQOS ILUMA established PMI’s induction-based heating architecture and dedicated tobacco stick system. With bonds using a separate Round Heat external heating approach, PMI is now testing multiple technology pathways for future heated tobacco development.

As the heated tobacco market matures, competition is increasingly shifting from individual devices toward broader platform strategies. Hardware architecture, dedicated consumables, user experience and distribution models will increasingly determine how brands expand within smoke-free categories.

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Cover Image: bond.jp

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