Qualcomm's next flagship chip could cost more than $200, leading to higher prices for premium smartphones

Qualcomm logo at Mobile World Congress. Source: REUTERS

Qualcomm is planning to significantly increase the price of its next flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite (second generation) chip. The new chip is expected to cost over $200, which is a 20% increase over previous models.

Here's What We Know

The main reason for this price increase is the transition to a more advanced N3P process technology from TSMC, which will provide a performance increase of at least 20%. This could lead to price increases for flagship phones from manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi and others in 2026.

While MediaTek and Samsung continue to develop their own solutions, Qualcomm remains the market leader in smartphone chipsets. However, despite improvements in performance and efficiency, rising chip prices could put pressure on device makers' margins and increase the cost of end products for consumers.

Source: Digital Chat Station, @Jukanlosreve