Croma Hosts Snapdragon’s First Offline Experience Zone in India – A New Era for Qualcomm

For years, Snapdragon has been the silent force behind many of the world’s leading smartphones, powering premium experiences in flagship and mid-range devices alike. However, Qualcomm’s presence has largely been through online platforms and partnerships with major device manufacturers like Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi rather than direct consumer engagement.

That changes now. With its first-ever offline experience zone in India, Qualcomm is stepping into physical retail through a partnership with Croma, marking a major shift in how it connects with consumers.

At the Snapdragon x Croma event in Mumbai, Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm, explained the timing and significance of this expansion:

“The route to market for buying a PC, consumers still want to be able to see, touch, feel the device, understand the experiences, which is why we’re entering this partnership to drive an experience zone.”

With the rise of AI-powered computing, growing demand for performance-driven devices, and shifting consumer buying behaviours, Qualcomm believes that an offline presence is key to bridging the knowledge gap and driving the adoption of Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, smartphones, and XR solutions.

Why Croma? Qualcomm’s Strategic Offline Partner

Choosing Croma as Snapdragon’s first offline experience zone in India wasn’t a random decision—it was a strategic move based on consumer behaviour and market trends.

“Consumers relate to Croma as a premium buying experience,” Kondap explained. “We wanted to unveil this experience zone at Croma and be able to showcase the experiences that consumers can get in a store like this.”

Snapdragon’s experience zone within Croma stores is designed to give consumers a hands-on feel of AI PCs, smartphones, XR solutions, and more. Unlike online listings or specification sheets, these retail spaces allow potential buyers to touch, test, and compare devices before making a purchase.

Kondap emphasised the importance of offline retail in India, where PC penetration remains low and buying behaviours differ from Western markets:

“Even to this day, you know, PC penetration in India is still pretty small, right? It’s less than 10%. Consumers still want to see, touch, and feel the device before making a decision.”

This move also highlights a crucial shift in how global technology brands view the Indian market. With a population that rapidly adopts mobile technology but still relies on offline stores for major tech purchases, the challenge has been educating consumers on why upgrading to AI-powered devices like AI PCs and connected devices can enhance their digital experiences.

By tapping into Croma’s established offline network, Snapdragon aims to educate and engage Indian consumers in a way that digital marketing alone cannot.

The Power of Offline Sales in India

Despite the rise of e-commerce, offline retail remains dominant for high-value tech purchases. According to Counterpoint Research, over 50% of smartphones in India are still purchased offline, driven by the need for in-person product testing, expert recommendations, and financing options.

The preference for buying laptops offline is even stronger. A report from GFK India suggests that over 70% of laptops are still bought through offline stores, as consumers want to physically experience build quality, screen clarity, and keyboard feel before making a purchase.

By establishing its first-ever offline experience zone, Qualcomm is ensuring that Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, smartphones, and XR devices are not just seen but understood by buyers before they make an investment.

Beyond Smartphones: Expanding Snapdragon’s Brand Identity

For many Indian consumers, Snapdragon is synonymous with smartphones, but Qualcomm’s ambitions extend far beyond mobile devices. With its Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, XR solutions, and connected devices, the company is aiming to establish a broader brand identity across multiple consumer tech categories.

“In phones, we’ve obviously had a big presence in India. And I think if a consumer walks into a store in India, they equate Snapdragon with a premium experience. We want to have that similar mindset here,” Kondap said.

The goal is to build the same level of trust and recognition for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs that consumers already associate with Snapdragon smartphones.

“It’s almost like a peace of mind that when I’m buying a Snapdragon PC, I know I’m getting the best performance, the best battery life, and the best AI experience—no matter the price point.”

For Qualcomm, this is a critical moment of transformation. The company has spent decades innovating in the mobile chipset space, but as AI reshapes computing, it is now positioning itself as a key player in next-generation consumer technology across multiple verticals.

Through offline partnerships like Croma, Qualcomm is ensuring that consumers fully understand the advantages of Snapdragon-powered devices before making a purchase decision.

The Consumer Experience: Training, Demos, and AI-Powered Education

To make this offline push truly impactful, Qualcomm is investing heavily in staff training, live demonstrations, and consumer education programs within Croma stores.

“As you think about AI being at the bleeding edge of what we’re doing across devices, we are training and looking at Croma as a central venue where consumers can come and learn.”

Snapdragon’s experience zones will feature interactive demos, showcasing real-world AI applications, battery efficiency comparisons, and hands-on testing of Snapdragon-powered devices.

Consumers visiting the Snapdragon Experience Zone will be able to test AI-powered features on laptops and smartphones, such as real-time language translation, on-device AI assistants, and intelligent photo editing tools that enhance productivity and creativity.

One of the biggest challenges facing AI adoption in India is consumer awareness. While AI is becoming more integrated into devices, many users don’t fully understand how it improves performance, efficiency, and user experience.

“People still think of AI as just a quick text search. But AI is moving beyond that—into multi-modal experiences like text-to-image, image-to-video, and real-time AI-driven enhancements,” Kondap noted.

These offline-driven educational experiences will play a crucial role in convincing consumers why they should invest in Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and other next-gen devices.

The Road Ahead: More Stores, More Awareness

The Juhu, Mumbai Croma store is just the beginning. Qualcomm plans to expand its offline footprint across India, ensuring that more consumers get a first-hand experience of Snapdragon’s technology.

“No, it will expand. This was the unveiling today,” Kondap confirmed when asked whether more Croma retail locations across India are in the pipeline.

By making Snapdragon-powered devices available in more physical locations, Qualcomm is ensuring that its AI PCs, XR devices, and next-gen technology aren’t just for tech enthusiasts—they’re accessible and understandable for all consumers.

A key factor in this retail expansion will be whether it can drive conversions. While awareness is crucial, the real test will be whether Indian consumers are convinced enough to invest in AI PCs.

A Major Shift for Qualcomm in India

The launch of Snapdragon’s first offline experience zone at Croma marks a significant shift in Qualcomm’s approach to the Indian market. By moving beyond just being a chipset brand and directly engaging with consumers, Qualcomm is laying the foundation for greater brand recognition, increased AI PC adoption, and a more immersive retail experience.

With expanding partnerships, hands-on demos, and a focus on consumer education, Snapdragon is positioning itself not just as a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, but as a brand that Indian consumers can directly interact with, trust, and invest in.

“We want consumers to walk into a store and immediately associate Snapdragon with premium performance, best-in-class battery life, and AI-powered experiences—just like they do with our smartphones today.”

As Qualcomm continues to expand its retail presence in India, it’s clear that Snapdragon’s journey into the consumer space is just getting started.