Rising middle class transforming India into a hub for premium devices: Qualcomm

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager for Mobile, Compute & XR (MCX) at Qualcomm Technologies, sheds light on the evolving landscape of India's tech market.

According to Katouzian, India, once perceived as a low-end market, is undergoing a significant transformation. The rise of the middle class and their increased purchasing power have propelled the demand for high-end and premium devices.

Katouzian acknowledges this shift and expresses satisfaction, stating, "They

Qualcomm Technologies aims to collaborate with its partners to shape products in a way that enhances user experience, providing better and more advanced services to the growing Indian market.

One of the pivotal factors driving this change is the surge of artificial intelligence (AI) as a forefront feature in mobile devices. Katouzian highlights the rapid acceleration of AI in the past year, positioning itself as a key function that consumers seek in their devices. He notes that while AI was traditionally integrated into the background, recent developments have brought it to the forefront of user experience.

In the context of AI, Katouzian provides an example from the realm of photography. In the past, challenges such as low-light conditions or direct sunlight could impact the quality of photographs. However, with AI running in the background, users can now take pictures in various lighting scenarios, with the technology automatically adjusting parameters for optimal results. This shift to foregrounding AI as a prominent feature represents a paradigm change in the way users interact with and expect technology to perform.

Furthermore, Katouzian emphasizes that AI serves as a transformative force for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) producing devices for everyday use. Traditionally, the upgrade cycle for consumer electronics has been getting longer, but with the growing demand for AI functionality in daily tasks, consumers are actively seeking more capable devices. This, in turn, is expected to generate a faster-paced upgrade cycle than seen in the past.