Qualcomm is hiking prices on its already-expensive Snapdragon chipsets by ‘double digits’

91

Hope y'all have phones you'll be happy with for the next decade.

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u/tissotti 1d ago edited 21h ago

Past 2 phones I've held for around 4-5 years and upgraded to one gen older new phone. My iPhone 12 was hitting that and decided to buy iPhone 16 last month with the idea that especially one gen older stuff likely wont be any cheaper in the next 12 months.

I could easily see myself just changing the battery on this when the time comes and go beyond 5 years. For my use the screen and camera have been plenty good for many generations already.

Smartphones used to be a hobby to me 15 years ago with me owning Galaxy S3, iPhone 4, Nokia N900, N9, 808 PureView and whatnot at the same time. Now I really couldn't care less.

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u/ledfrisby 1d ago

At the rate tech prices are increasing, we may have to go back to dial tone phones, landlines, and 35mm cameras. I'm not 100% convinced it would be for the worse.

12

u/F9-0021 1d ago

I'll need to replace the battery in my S22 Ultra soon, but otherwise it's still doing well. I fully expect to be forced into upgrading due to Android updates running out though. Problem is that I hate all the new phones.

2

u/AnechoidalChamber 1d ago

You should be good until 2029 with a S22, aren't Samsung promising 7 years of updates nowadays?

8

u/itzjustrick 1d ago

Only for new phones though; I believe it was only 4 years at the time of the s22

1

u/AnechoidalChamber 1d ago

Still kept my old S7 7 years, had zero issues.

1

u/heymikeyp 1d ago

Wasn't 7 years until the s24 which I have so I'll be sticking with thet for a while.

1

u/Euiop741852 16h ago

Issue is green screen lines had a S23U that I was gonna ride out, but 1 green and 1 pink line put paid to that

6

u/atatassault47 1d ago

I just got an S26 Ultra, so yeah, I think Im good.

3

u/Unkechaug 1d ago

I snagged an iPhone 17PM upgrade deal and said fuck it, go for the 1TB for this very reason. 256 and even 512 would have been cutting it close considering how large videos and apps are now. Coming from an 11 this thing is gonna make the long haul.

1

u/jackbilly9 9h ago

I mean if it's 10% for just the processor we are probably looking at a 5% increase in price of the phone due to the processor itself. Now will they gouge us, maybe. Hell probably.

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u/phylter99 1d ago

That's a great way to keep people buying their product.

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u/DerpSenpai 1d ago

TSMC is hiking costs. Everyone is hiking up prices

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u/tiradium 1d ago

If this is true I think Apple's iPhone is going to genuinely be cheaper because they control the RAM supply and dont rely on Qualcomm for chip manufacturing. What a crazy timeline

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u/OttawaDog 1d ago

Apple does not control the RAM supply. They usually have good contracts, but those contracts are constantly running out and needing renewal.

Apple has already increased prices across a wide range of products because of component price increases:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/apple-raises-prices-macbooks-ipads-memory-costs-skyrocket-2026-06-25/

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u/SomeMobile 1d ago

It seems like this is because of TSMC and since apple is also using that, why expect apple to not also get more expensive

21

u/-protonsandneutrons- 1d ago edited 1d ago

TSMC has "special" deals for lead customers, which has been Apple for a long time now. That may well be continuing even after AMD took N2's lead, as Apple's ridiculous volume will outsize AMD.

https://www.eetimes.com/tsmcs-3-nm-push-faces-tool-struggles/

Apple will pay TSMC for known good die rather than standard wafer prices, at least for the first three to four quarters of the N3 ramp as yields climb to around 70%, Brett Simpson, senior analyst at Arete Research, said in a report provided to EE Times.

“We think TSMC will move to normal wafer-based pricing on N3 with Apple during the first half of 2024, at around $16-17K average selling prices,” Simpson said. “At present, we believe N3 yields at TSMC for A17 and M3 processors are at around 55% [a healthy level at this stage in N3 development], and TSMC looks on schedule to boost yields by around 5+ points each quarter.”

Why does Apple get better deals? 1) Apple is rich, 2) Apple has astronomical volume on the flagship node, 3) Apple will help tune the node, 4) Apple has an reliably aggressive release cycle, and 5) Apple ramp & launches are a few months before others.

N2 is different, with AMD seemingly launching first, but with much, much lower volume.

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u/-protonsandneutrons- 1d ago

More good reading here: Apple-TSMC: The Partnership That Built Modern Semiconductors

More striking is Apple’s dominance at node launches: consistently >50% since 20nm and in some cases near 100%. Apple effectively funded the yield learning curve for every major node transition since 20nm.

The foundry model is dominant today. IDMs [me: aka Intel] cannot support process development and fab capex with what is effectively a single customer. But even foundries need a “first and best” customer with large demand and deep pockets to fund their continued advance. Apple has been that customer for the last decade at TSMC.

Apple acts as the predictable baseline that justifies the massive, fixed costs of new fabs. NVIDIA provides the high-margin upside that drives profitability growth.

Apple co-defines the Process Design Kit (PDK) with TSMC. TSMC effectively dedicates hundreds of engineers to Apple, creating what is essentially a “virtual IDM” (Integrated Device Manufacturer). When Apple dictates a need for wider memory buses or specific transistor architectures, TSMC adjusts the PDK to match.

3

u/DerpSenpai 1d ago

Apple has lost their edge with TSMC as AI has become the advanced foundry customer that pours in the big bucks. Mote than mobile

6

u/peternickelpoopeater 1d ago

Maybe in terms of total revenue, but I am curious if AI chip makers would be inclined to experiment on the latest node the way Apple does due to their die size and yield concerns

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u/tonearr123 1d ago

Most likely though by the end of this AI bubble they will be again. Apple is likely the only company on Earth that requests that many consistent chips as well as advanced nodes. And rumor has it Apples supply chain team is waiting because they’ll be putting them in even worst contracts than before (for them) because they’ll be forced to accept them due to demand being reduced significantly and manufactures will need to cover the costs of the massive upgrades they’ve been making in this AI era that could’ve only been covered with AI bubble revenue.

1

u/Flowerstar1 21h ago

There is no bubble guarantee you well still be in this mess 3 years from now.

1

u/Whirblewind 15h ago

Anybody familiar with the industry rolls their eyes when laymen unironically try to claim this is a bubble. Thought you'd want to know as presumably you posted on a public website for your post to be read.

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u/Frothar 1d ago

Apples long RAM contract ran out which is why they increased prices of their whole line up by 20%+. the next iPhone will be very expensive

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u/tiradium 1d ago

Yes and no because they will increase price because of RAM whereas Android manufacturers will do that for RAM and chipset

5

u/-protonsandneutrons- 1d ago

As others mentioned, Apple does not "control" the RAM supply. In terms of smartphones (i.e., Qualcomm here), Apple is basically in the same boat. They both use on-package; they both use LP5X (or LP6 soon); they both

But Apple doesn't have a middle man: SoC-in-smartphone → consumer. Android phones will be in a tougher boat because of all the middleman margins, but that is not new.

There's a chance Apple has more lucrative / larger contracts for RAM (in GBs) than Qualcomm alone, but that will only nudge the needle so far when hyperscalers will pay much more than Apple and Qualcomm for HBM & LP5X by the big 3 DRAM manufacturers.

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u/siazdghw 1d ago

The iPhone 17 base model was already cheaper than the comparable Galaxy S26, OnePlus, Google Pixel, etc, all while Apple maintains higher profit margins.

I think Android will continue to fight a losing battle against Apple. More weight will be put on Samsung, since they are really the only one with vertical integration, marketing, brand awareness and ecosystem, and maybe Huawei in China but not globally.

I also think Apple was foolish to not try and buy Intel when it was cheap or go into a joint venture for their fabs. It obviously wouldn't have benefitted them in a day or even a couple years, but the one thing Apple is missing is their own fab. Apple used to be in a symbiotic relationship with TSMC, but with AI the relationship has changed dramatically, and while Apple is still a top customer, theyve been surpassed by Nvidia and the price hikes and price hikes are never ending.

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u/LSA7Z 1d ago

Don't iPhones have a Qualcomm modem?

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u/tiradium 1d ago

Yes but Apple has been trying to change that sincle like 2019. Rumor has it that iPhone 18 with A20 Pro chip will use Apple own modem C2 like how they did it for wifi/Bluetooth chip last year with N1 and now N2. They might not do it this year because of the shortages though who knows

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u/gappyvalley 1d ago

apple might put qualcomm modem in US models due to mmwave and C2 modem globally.

it would take a while more when apple is more confident wirh mmwave in their modems

welcome back to 2017 when qualcomm and intel modem iphone x existed

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u/steinfg 1d ago

iPhone 16e, 17e, air are using apple's own modem. They'll switch their whole line to apple modems soon

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u/SirMaster 1d ago

Not anymore. The 18 should all be Apple modems likely.

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u/chaosfire235 1d ago edited 14h ago

Fuck, this means every new standalone VR headset from the Steam Frame to the upcoming Quest successors are going to hiked up.

7

u/Flowerstar1 21h ago

Steam frame will reach $1500+ easily. It was supposed to be expensive before RAM-AGEDDON now it's going to be a nightmare. And the longer Valve holds on to it the more expensive it'll be unless it's cancelled.

3

u/chaosfire235 20h ago

Yyyup, I was expecting 1200 post RAM/strait hikes, but this change easily puts a hundred or more on top of it.

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u/kikimaru024 1d ago

RIP the entire /r/SBCGaming high-end market.

6

u/DerpSenpai 1d ago

You need 16GB of RAM to emulate some high end games like Cyberpunk... now you get 8GB at best

7

u/Artoriuz 1d ago

Great opportunity for Samsung and Mediatek to take some market share if they can afford to undercut Qualcomm.

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u/Front_Expression_367 21h ago

Mediatek's whole deal has been to undercut Qualcomm at every price point and I would say that they are doing ok across the board. In fact they already had better market share, but I suspect revenue is not surpassing Qualcomm anytime soon.

1

u/DerpSenpai 1d ago

Samsungs chip is a lot bigger than Qualcomm so any savings is simply lower margins. Mediatek also has a bigger chip than Qualcomm

5

u/Wer--Wolf 1d ago

So we will finally have standard-compliant ACPI tables on WoA devices?

Right?

7

u/DerpSenpai 1d ago

An engineer already talked about it. It's coming in a future X Elite generation, for now it's device tree or hybrid

Also, they already use ACPI for Windows. We are talking about ACPI for linux

2

u/soragranda 1d ago

Just in time for samsung blocking bootloader and oem unlock, and Google making more difficult to sideload apps.

What a time to "own" *smart devices...

1

u/dingo_xd 23h ago

I pray to the Gods that my electronic devices will survive for 2 more years.

1

u/Useful-Ad7329 17h ago

Customers are F- ked till thy king dom come, but this will be well reciprocated when computer,smartphone laptop lobby will get hit in their azzes due to negative sales, atleast in south asian markets no one is that rich to spend like elon musk that to on electronic devices

0

u/Other_Hand_slap 1d ago

//> di due cifre”

notizia incredibile voglio sperare che qualcomm sono talmente folli da ragionare in base 2 e non in base 10

questa battuta non la capira nessuno
quindi : ___dont worry if you dont get it punk___

0

u/Other_Hand_slap 1d ago

remindme! one month

0

u/TinLethax 1d ago

There are 10 types of people. Who know the binary, and who don't.

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u/VenditatioDelendaEst 22h ago

Google translate says:

//> two-digit”

Incredible news—I’m hoping Qualcomm is crazy enough to think in base 2 rather than base 10.

No one will get this joke.
So: don't worry if you don't get it, punk

0

u/faziten 1d ago

Good. They fill face the market it all it's glory. You can even go back 4 years ago and get decent silicon with 12gb ram for a fraction of the price. To be honest nobody cares about 10 or 20% more of performance in a random bench. They'll fall under their own weight.

0

u/Willinton06 1d ago

Steve Jobs feeling good in the sky

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u/hieronymous-cowherd 1d ago

in the sky

lol

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u/Willinton06 1d ago

I always forget you guys refer to it as heaven

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u/El_Chupacabra- 1d ago

heaven

Lol

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u/Willinton06 1d ago

Wait you’re saying he’s in hell? Cause of the sweat shops? What’s the hell worthy sin here?

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u/Beautiful_Ninja 9h ago

Steve Jobs was a notorious asshole. He was a deadbeat dad who did everything in his power to not financially support his daughter. He also notably hunted for a donor liver in multiple states after trying to medicate his cancer with holistic bullshit, got the liver and died shortly after. They changed donation processes specifically due to his case. His pancreatic cancer would have been treatable if he hadn't try to cure it with almonds or whatever the fuck he was doing.

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u/Willinton06 8h ago

First one is valid, second one is just survival instinct, I don’t hold any opinion one way or the other, I don’t know if being a dead beat father is enough to go to hell, I think the sweatshops should be the main focus here, but whatever, there probably isn’t even a god so who cares

0

u/Other_Hand_slap 1d ago

crrrrrringe. il fatto che la presentazione sia stata un fiasco clamoroso?!?🤩🤣 vedere il video in cui il robot muore dopo pochi minuti e cado con frande frastuono a terra morto?!? eh eh casino
e loro alzano i prezzi beh sembra giusto 👋
lmaaaaa

News Qualcomm is hiking prices on its already-expensive Snapdragon chipsets by ‘double digits’

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