Qualcomm Reportedly Working With Telcos, OEMs in India on Entry-Level 5G Phone; May Launch by End of 2024

Qualcomm is reportedly working with telcos, OEMs to launch a 5G-enabled smartphone for the Indian market. Reliance Jio and Airtel have been quite aggressive with their 5G adoption. Both have almost completed the rollout of 5G technology in the country. However, there is a large population of 2G users in the country who are looking to switch to a 5G network. This is where Qualcomm is planning to work with telcos, and OEMs. The US-based chipmaker is said to introduce a new chipset to enable the launch of an entry-level 5G smartphone in the country.

As per a report by Moneycontrol, Qualcomm will partner with top telcos in India to bring an entry-level 5G smartphone, which is said to be priced at under $99 (roughly Rs. 8,200). The report adds that the low-cost 5G handset might be launched by the end of 2024.

Qualcomm is reportedly also working with different OEMs (original equipment makers) to develop this entry-level smartphone. Moreover, the report adds that the smartphone will support the 5G standalone architecture.

The report further mentions that the entry-level 5G handset could be powered by a low-cost customised processor using SA-2Rx capability. The new chipset will reportedly provide a full 5G experience to those who are looking for affordable smartphones in the country. “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, reportedly told the publication.

Qualcomm is looking to bring this chipset to encourage the 2G users in the country to switch to the 5G network. The company said that its India research and development department has worked hard on developing this new chipset. The move can help bring the 5G network to approximately 2.8 billion people across the globe, including India.

With this, the 5G adoption in India will surely skyrocket. However, it would be interesting to see the pricing of the new low-cost 5G smartphones from Qualcomm and Indian telcos. The entry-level smartphone segment currently starts around Rs. 7,000, though no phone currently provides 5G services at this price point. Bringing a 5G handset under the Rs. 8,000 price segment might change the country's market scenario and help users switch from 2G-enabled feature phones to smartphones.