At the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, Qualcomm Technologies and Havells India unveiled a joint effort to accelerate smart home innovation in India. The collaboration was showcased through a live demonstration of the Lloyd air conditioner powered by Qualcomm's QCC743 connectivity platform, highlighting how advanced connectivity and AI integration are reshaping everyday appliances.
The move signals a deeper shift in India's appliance market, where traditional electronics companies like Havells are partnering with global semiconductor leaders such as Qualcomm to bring intelligent, connected features to mass-market products, turning once-basic home devices into smart, data-driven ecosystems.
The showcased Lloyd AC leverages Qualcomm's tri-radio solution featuring Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.4, and IEEE 802.15.4 for Thread and Zigbee, enabling seamless interoperability across multiple smart home ecosystems. Visitors at the event experienced real-time app-based control via the Havells One platform, underlining the potential of intuitive, cloud-connected control for home appliances.
According to Qualcomm, the QCC743 platform, built on RISC-V architecture, is designed with scalability in mind. Its compact memory footprint and extensive interface support make it suitable for embedding across a range of consumer devices. This forms the technical foundation for the two companies' broader collaboration that spans air conditioners, washing machines, air purifiers, water heaters, smart fans, and switches, all aimed at advancing energy management and voice-enabled control in connected homes.
"India's smart home future is being built today, and Qualcomm is proud to be at the forefront, enabling it with advanced connectivity solutions designed for scale, efficiency, and local innovation," said Manmeet Singh, Senior Director and India Business Head, Automotive, IoT, Connectivity & Broadband at Qualcomm India. "Our work with Lloyd reflects our deep commitment to the Make in India initiative and to empowering Indian brands to deliver seamless, intelligent, connected experiences for every household."
Alok Tickoo, Executive Vice President and Business Leader, Lloyd Air Conditioner Business, Havells, noted that integrating Qualcomm's technology allows Havells to deliver more intuitive and efficient performance. "Our vision is to make every household smarter, more efficient, and seamlessly connected. By leveraging Qualcomm's advanced platform in our Lloyd air conditioners, we are not only elevating performance but also delivering richer, more intuitive experiences for our consumers," he said.
In India, the smart appliance ecosystem is at a nascent stage. Most companies are marketing their AI offerings as a key differentiator. The Qualcomm–Havells partnership comes at a time when consumer durables are increasingly moving toward AI-assisted, interoperable designs. The collaboration underscores how local brands and global chipmakers can jointly drive "Make in India" innovation. As energy efficiency, app-based control, and multi-device ecosystems become standard expectations, partnerships like these could help bridge India's technology ambitions with tangible, everyday experiences in the home.
For consumers, this collaboration could translate into smarter energy use, faster device response, and more unified control across brands and platforms. For Qualcomm and Havells, it marks a strategic alignment between global silicon expertise and Indian manufacturing strength.
