Quick Take
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 targets India’s premium smartphone segment with 37% AI performance boost
- Qualcomm holds 40% market share in ₹25,000+ smartphones, says CyberMedia Research
- Strong government manufacturing initiatives and local partnerships driving expansion
- Global brands including Xiaomi, Samsung, and vivo adopting latest platform
Qualcomm anticipates major uptake of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in India amid premium device shift | Snapdragon holds 40% market share in smartphones priced above ₹25,000, according to CyberMedia Research
Qualcomm is seeing strong demand for its new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor in India as consumers move toward premium devices. The chip maker’s success shows how deeper partnerships with local manufacturers and supportive government policies are helping the country’s electronics and AI sectors grow.
Premium Market Momentum Drives Growth
Alex Katouzian, Qualcomm’s General Manager for Mobile, Compute, & XR (MCX), says India has become a key market thanks to government manufacturing programs and stronger partnerships with domestic companies like Flipkart and Lenskart.
“The Indian market is progressively embracing premium tiers, making the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 a favorable choice,” Katouzian stated. “Our brand reputation in India is exceptionally strong.”
CyberMedia Research data confirms Snapdragon’s dominance with a 40% market share in the ₹25,000+ smartphone segment. This puts the company in a good spot to benefit from India’s shift toward premium devices.
Technical Innovation Powers AI Capabilities
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, unveiled at the annual Snapdragon Summit, delivers world-leading performance with CPU speeds reaching 4.6 GHz in prime cores and 1.2 GHz GPU frequency. The processor features an enhanced hexagon NPU that provides 37% improved AI capabilities, revolutionizing video framing similar to recent advances in mobile photography.
These specs position the chip to handle AI-heavy apps as smartphones become the main computing device for Indian users.
Global Brand Adoption Accelerates
Major manufacturers are quickly adopting Qualcomm’s latest platform. Xiaomi has introduced the Xiaomi 17 Series built on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while POCO, vivo, and Samsung are among other global brands incorporating the technology into their premium device lineups.
This widespread adoption shows industry confidence in Qualcomm’s AI-focused approach as manufacturers compete for India’s growing premium smartphone market.
Strategic Partnerships Strengthen Market Position
Qualcomm’s expansion strategy goes beyond smartphone partnerships to include various tech sectors. The company works with PC manufacturers including Lenovo and HP, while developing projects in retail and transportation.
The semiconductor company’s commitment to the Indian market shows in its 20,000-strong workforce across the country, representing significant local investment and technical expertise development.
Government Support Amplifies Growth Trajectory
India’s manufacturing initiatives and policy support for electronics development create good conditions for Qualcomm’s expansion. Government programs promoting domestic electronics production align with the company’s strategy to deepen local partnerships and manufacturing capabilities.
These policy frameworks support Qualcomm’s long-term vision for India as both a manufacturing hub and key consumer market for advanced semiconductor technologies.
Qualcomm continues leveraging India’s technological transformation through established relationships and government backing. This positions the company to benefit from the nation’s premium technology evolution and growing AI adoption across consumer devices.
