What’s Next for Vaping? The Future of the Industry

If you think of markets like the UK, Germany, or UAE, regulation is the driving force behind product design. Restrictions on nicotine strength, e-liquid capacity, and advertising are forcing manufacturers towards different build methods and devices. This is why we see increasingly more rechargeable disposable vapes and high-puff devices (between 5000 to 15,000 puffs). If you can’t go up to volume, you have to go the other way and make a more efficient device, better coil systems, more control with an airflow adjustment, better batteries.

The future brings compliance that won’t be optional. Pronto something changes, landscape experts who can adapt quickly to varying local laws in Malaysia, Indonesia and Europe will have the lion’s share of the market against others who’ve settled for SKUs suited to one type of global regulation.

Users Are Expecting:

• Flavours that can be vaped from the first puff to the last.
• No burning midway through.
• Ability to take a quick drag without getting cotton fluff stuck inside.

Here is where engineering takes precedence over marketing.

3. More flavour innovation but with caveats

Of all the aspects influencing consumers at the point of purchase, flavour is still one of the most predominant. Fruity and cooling flavours like mango ice, blueberry ice and watermelon are still dominating, while mint and tobaccos are remaining a staple among switching smokers.

However, this flavour innovation might not necessarily be fullspeed ahead thanks to regulations. Some markets are already looking to restrict sweet or youth orientated flavours. Hence brands are adapting by going down the route of:

• More “balanced” flavour (not just sweet)
• Less artificial aftertaste
• Flavours preferred in certain regions

In places like Southeast Asia for instance, tropical fruit blends still beat traditional tobacco profiles in sales races. Having your finger on the pulse of what local consumers like will be more effective than simply launching more SKUs.

4. Disposable is not replacing pod systems

There has been much speculation if disposable vapes are killing pod systems, and vice versa. The reality is that the two serve and meet different users’ needs:

• Disposables: ease of use, packs small, no maintenance
• Pod systems: economically frugal, refillable, longer usage

For entry level users or travelling folks, small portables disposables are still the easiest way to dip a toe into the water. For users managing moderate amounts of nicotine consumption, pod systems still offer greater control. The way forward is more likely going to be in devices that feel like a disposable but are more of a simple pod.

Battery and Sustainability Pressure Is Growing

One issue the industry can’t afford to ignore is environmental pressure. Disposable products, by their nature, attract pushback over waste and battery disposal.

This is already nudging manufacturers towards:

• Rechargeable disposable formats
• Longer-lasting devices (so you dispose less often)
• Potential recycling or return programs

While eco-friendly features are not quite a make-or-break buying factor, they are signalling a definite requirement if brands want long-term access into whatever market they’re aiming for. (Mainland Europe especially will be hard on those that fail to comply).

6. User Experience Will Dictate Brand Loyalty

In a crowded market where brands are more numerous than ever, branding alone won’t cut it. Users will crave selectivity, and just a small spark of the wrong “experience” can ruin your reputation for an extended period.

The common complaints are still:

• Burnt taste after 5 puffs on the one side.
• Weak on the puff.
• Weak vapour.
• Battery dying before the 300 puffs is complete.

The brands that thrive in the second phase will be caring about consistency across their whole range and less about bells and whistles.

A smooth draw, a palatable flavour and a reliable battery for a high-puff use count is preferred above insane puff counts and super-octane this-n-thats.

7. The Increase In Relation To Brand

With the market heading toward a more unified level, there arrives some sense of segmentation:

• Low tier devices for a beginner.
• Medium-tier “heavy” devices for medium-tier users.
• And of course, higher-tier devices for more casual users for their much-desired high-puff count disposable.

Discussing “Smoking Bloom vs Elf Bar” and “Smoking Bloom vs Lost Mary” signifies that the buyer is no longer a random buyer, but a buyer who is now comparing that experience – longevity – and flavour of a “low-end” 1000 puff product to itself.

Going forward, newer brands will separate themselves apart from the older brands and from each other by their:

• Reliability of products.
• Consistency of flavours.
• Positioning in the market.

7. Capping thoughts

Believing that one type of new breakthroughs will take over the market specifically, will not occur. Things like regulation, small strides of dielectric coil tech and the better electronic cigarette with a high-puff disposable count dictate that which way things will go towards 2026 and beyond.

Whereas efficiently keeping things compliant and making better puffers will dictate who lives through and to the next phase of the competitive market.

As a wholesaler/distributer or brand, emphasis on less “their gonna kill my parents” and more on what subjectively, will be experienced day to day and less “computer vaporiser device high-puff” will incur longer-lasting and genuine “professional” demand.

For inquiries: smokingbloom.com