One of the most anticipated Android phones is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the next flagship device from the South Korean company. According to the first leaks of the device, it is likely that we are looking at a smartphone capable of outperforming the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is why Apple may need to step up their game for their future mobile lineup. However, both this and other Android phones may experience a price increase due to a key component.
As indicated by the portal JeuxVideo in a recent publication, smartphones tend to increase in price every year even though these price hikes are not entirely justified. In short, Qualcomm has become a decisive factor in this event. And, as the French indicate in their news, Samsung’s plans to ditch their Exynos processors in favor of the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 from Qualcomm could directly impact the wallets of their consumers.
Qualcomm plans to strike gold
According to early rumors, Qualcomm’s intention is to increase the price of their processors by 20%. This would mean that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 would cost around 170 euros. Essentially, the price increase is related to the 3nm manufacturing techniques used by TSMC, but it is not the only factor, as other factors such as overall design costs or chip production also influence. Therefore, Samsung would not be the only one affected, as other manufacturers like Honor, Xiaomi, Asus, or Motorola have also opted for Qualcomm chips.
If this move were to materialize, it is likely that brands will start to see these price increases in high-end smartphones coming in 2025. However, this situation could make some buyers hesitant to adopt a new Android device, as the price increase is tied to a performance increase that may not justify an excessive hike. Nevertheless, there is still time to see if this extra cost assumed by developers will have a direct impact on consumers’ wallets.
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