Qualcomm’s Deepu John on How Snapdragon 6 Gen and 4 Gen 5 Will Redefine Mainstream Smartphones in India

Qualcomm has been fueling the dramatic shift in the Indian consumer's mindset in the smartphone category, and the all-new Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 Mobile Platforms are the perfect example. In the smartphone segment, value is no longer just about affordability; it is about premium performance at an accessible price.

Announced at the company's third Snapdragon for India event, the chipsets are aimed at mainstream smartphones, and the first batch of commercial devices is expected in the second half of 2026 from OEMs like Oppo, Realme, and Xiaomi. To understand how Qualcomm is democratising flagship specifications, Gadgets 360 sat with Deepu John, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm.

The Rise of India's Sophisticated Tech Consumer

The entry-level and mid-range buyers no longer have to compromise on core experiences. And the latest example is Qualcomm, which is actively packing features like 90 FPS gaming support, smooth UI motion that tackles lag and stutter during multitasking, advanced connectivity standards, and high-end ISP features that support 100x zoom and night vision into devices powered by 4-series and 6-series chipsets.

Interestingly, digital connectivity is now a baseline assumption in India, not a luxury. Qualcomm's Deepu highlighted that the company thrives on this rapid escalation of consumer sophistication, which is why India is receiving such targeted, high-priority product pushes. He stressed that India continues to play a critical role for the company, given its status as one of the most dynamic mobile markets.

Talking on the evolution of the Indian consumer and market Growth, Deepu said, "See that growth is second, the focus on value is also going up, so in the future, it will be lower. It's a natural progression of the Indian consumer that digital is assumed. Now it was not assumed that everyone uses it. Everyone got it."

He also touched upon integration of hardware and software as a single system, "So in the process of doing this, what we recognise is really not what we didn't mention. That's not the point, because gaming doesn't require one more than the other. How do the other things, like interpolation of things? Hardware and software are seen as a system. So we have to get down into the details. Good."

Deepu John, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm, during the keynote at the Snapdragon for India event

A Lot of Firsts for Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and 4 Gen 5 Platforms

Further, in the real-world context of connectivity and audio, Deepu gave the example of making calls at home and moving from one point to another without a drop in quality. "I'm at home. I may be on a call [....], and that's a very practical thing to consider when using audio over Wi-Fi, totally. The most detailed technology is what we really focused on. So I see connectivity in a broader scope," he added, talking about Qualcomm XPAN or short for Expanded Personal Area Network technology.

Next, he talked about Qualcomm Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0, which has been introduced in this price segment for the first time and promises longer, sustained FPS performance, additional power-saving features, and proactive thermal management. In the camera department, the chips feature AI-based Night Vision technology (introduced in 6 Gen 5), something not seen before in this category. Similarly, Dual SIM Dual Active or long for DSDA, is also being introduced in the 4 Series Gen 5 and offers connectivity across two networks at once. The Snapdragon Smooth Motion UI has also been introduced, offering 25% less screen stutter and 43% faster app launches.

The first commercial smartphones powered by new Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and 4 Gen 5 are expected in the second half of 2026 from OEMs including Oppo, Realme, and Xiaomi. At the event, Qualcomm also announced its partnership with Boat to introduce Snapdragon Sound to India and the first product from this collaboration, the Nirvana Eutopia 2 Pro, is powered by the Snapdragon S3 Gen 1 Sound platform. With this chipset, the company marks Snapdragon Sound's entry into India.