Qualcomm to launch a sub-$99 5G smartphone by this year-end; working with telcos, OEMs in India

Qualcomm is also working with India's top telecom operator, Reliance Jio, and original equipment makers (OEMs) to develop and launch the phone.

US-based chipmaker Qualcomm is getting aggressive in the Indian market. It plans to introduce a new chipset to enable the launch of an entry-level 5G smartphone, which will be priced at the sub-$99 level, by the end of this calendar year.

The latest chipset could encourage 2G users to switch to a smartphone-enabled 5G environment in India, a top Qualcomm official said.

Qualcomm is working with original equipment makers (OEMs) to develop and launch the phone.

Qualcomm's executives said that the gigabit 5G smartphone device will support the 5G standalone architecture, which Jio is currently offering.

The gigabit 5G smartphone will be powered by a dedicated low-cost customised processor using SA-2Rx capability, capable of gigabit speeds on a 5G network.

"With the new chipset, we are looking to give a full 5G experience to consumers looking for affordable smartphones. The product is inspired by India… we're focusing pretty heavily on the transition between 4G and 5G. So, for us, it's how do we make sure that the transition is as frictionless as possible and that we have products really optimised for handset developers, telcos and end consumers," Chris Patrick, SVP and General Manager of Handsets, Qualcomm, told Moneycontrol in Barcelona at the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024.

The MWC 2024 is being held in this Spanish city from February 26 to 29.

Shift from 2G to 5G

He said the latest chipset could encourage 2G users to switch to a smartphone-enabled by 5G environment in India. "Consumers can leap forward from 2G to 5G directly."

Qualcomm said its India research and development (R&D) worked hard on developing the new chipset. "Our local team leads almost most of our global products, especially teams in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The scale we have in the handset business is massive."

"...ecosystem partners, from Jio to OEMs, are important for us to bring a successful 5G device to a new price tier, which India hasn't seen yet," Savi Soin, president at Qualcomm India, told Moneycontrol separately. "...the chip alone won't do it, and we need strong partners, especially telcos, since it is a SA (standalone)-only product. You need the right incentive from carriers to get the OEMs on board."

Qualcomm executives believe the market will shift with affordable 5G smartphones in India and globally.

Citing GSMA data, Qualcomm executives said that a sub-$99 5G smartphone could bring 5G to as many as 2.8 billion people globally, including India.

Soin said that Qualcomm is doubling down on its efforts in India on developer engagement to develop use cases. "I am looking for developers with apps on the phone and drive use cases that people need."

(The reporter is in Barcelona to cover the Mobile World Congress 2024 at the invitation of Xiaomi)