[News] Qualcomm’s Sep. Chip Price Hikes Revealed, Premium Flagships Face Steepest 10–15% Increase
As Qualcomm’s planned chip price hikes from September 1 begin to take shape, supply chain sources cited by TechNews say the company is negotiating final pricing with customers, with premium flagship chips expected to see the steepest increases of 10%–15% amid soaring costs.
According to TechNews, Qualcomm is taking a tiered approach to the price adjustments, with the largest increases targeting higher-end products. Premium flagship chips are expected to rise 10%–15%, followed by 5%–7% for mainstream chips, while entry-level chips may see only marginal increases of 0%–2%, the report suggests.
Notably, the price increases will extend beyond new orders placed after September 1. Some existing orders already booked but scheduled for shipment on or after that date could also be subject to revised pricing or updated purchasing terms, TechNews reports.
Memory Cost Surge Pushes Qualcomm Toward Chip Price Hikes
As noted by The Verge, Qualcomm flagged the upcoming price hikes in late July, after reporting a 20% year-over-year drop in handset revenue in 3QFY26—its weakest result since 2021.
The chipmaker, according to the report, blamed the decline on surging memory costs and ongoing supply constraints, which have driven up prices across products ranging from gaming consoles and laptops to Raspberry Pi boards. Rather than absorbing the impact, Qualcomm said it will pass the higher costs on through chip price increases, The Verge adds.
MediaTek, Qualcomm Flagship Chips Brace for Higher Costs
Beyond surging memory prices, rising costs for advanced nodes are also expected to drive up smartphone chip prices. According to Commercial Times, MediaTek and Qualcomm are preparing next-generation flagship chipsets based on TSMC’s advanced nodes, with premium positioning and higher price tags expected.
According to industry sources cited by Commercial Times, MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600s is expected to be manufactured on TSMC’s N3P process, while the Dimensity 9600 Pro and 9600 Pro Max are likely to adopt TSMC’s N2P node. Notably, the Dimensity 9600 Pro is rumored to be priced at around US$216, representing an 8%–20% increase over the Dimensity 9500, while the Pro Max is expected to target premium camera-centric flagship smartphones at an even higher price point, the report suggests.
Qualcomm is also reportedly preparing to shift its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series to TSMC’s N2P process amid intensifying competition. The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is expected to carry a lower price than the Pro variant, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could exceed US$300 per chip, targeting high-end Ultra flagship devices, according to Commercial Times.
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(Photo credit: Qualcomm)
