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Qualcomm recently confirmed that the Snapdragon Summit will take place from October 24th to 26th. The event will feature the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset, set to power the flagship smartphones of 2025.
The processor has been in the headlines for months, with rumors suggesting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be more expensive, leading to higher prices for upcoming flagship phones.
Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now shed light on the possible reasons behind the expected price increase for Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor (codenamed SM8750).
According to Kuo, the chip, which is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2024, may see a 25-30% price hike compared to the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650), which costs around $190-$200 per unit. This means the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could cost somewhere between $237.50 and $260.
The primary reason for this price increase is the use of TSMC’s latest and more advanced N3E production node for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, says Kuo. While the new node will deliver performance improvements, it also comes at a higher manufacturing cost.
Despite the higher price, Kuo expects strong demand for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 due to the growing high-end smartphone market, especially those with AI features. Shipments of the new chip are expected to see a “high single-digit rate” increase compared to its predecessor.
Separately, Kuo also commented on the future of Windows on ARM (WOA) processors. He expects shipments of Qualcomm’s current X Elite and X Plus chips used in WOA devices to reach around 2 million units in 2024. Kuo says this segment will see year-on-year growth of at least 100-200% in 2025.
The analyst also suggests that modified versions of the X Elite and X Plus chips will be launched in 2025 which will lower the cost of WOA devices.
Reportedly, Qualcomm is also planning a low-cost WOA processor codenamed Canim for mainstream devices priced between $599 and $799. This budget-friendly chip, manufactured on TSMC’s N4 node, will retain the same AI processing power (40 TOPS) as its more expensive counterparts, claims Kuo.
(Source)
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