Qualcomm has announced that the Snapdragon Summit is set for October 24th to 26th, where the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset will be unveiled. This new processor is intended to power flagship smartphones in 2025.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 has been a topic of discussion for months, with speculation that it will be more costly, leading to increased prices for future flagship phones.
Price Increase Details
Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has provided insights into the anticipated price rise for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor, codenamed SM8750. According to Kuo, the chip, expected to begin mass production in the latter half of 2024, may see a 25-30% price increase compared to the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650), which is priced around $190-$200 per unit. This would place the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s price between $237.50 and $260.
The primary driver for this price increase is the utilization of TSMC’s latest and more advanced N3E production node for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, according to Kuo. Although the new node will offer performance enhancements, it also incurs higher manufacturing costs.
Market Demand and Future Prospects
Despite the increased price, Kuo anticipates robust demand for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 due to the expanding high-end smartphone market, particularly those featuring AI capabilities. The new chip's shipments are expected to grow at a “high single-digit rate” compared to its predecessor.
In other news, Kuo also discussed the future of Windows on ARM (WOA) processors. He projects shipments of Qualcomm’s existing X Elite and X Plus chips in WOA devices to reach approximately 2 million units in 2024. Kuo predicts that this segment will see year-on-year growth of at least 100-200% in 2025.
Low-Cost WOA Processors
Additionally, Kuo suggests that modified versions of the X Elite and X Plus chips will be released in 2025, which will reduce the cost of WOA devices.
Qualcomm is reportedly planning to introduce a low-cost WOA processor codenamed Canim for mainstream devices priced between $599 and $799. This budget-friendly chip, produced on TSMC’s N4 node, will maintain the same AI processing power (40 TOPS) as its more expensive counterparts, according to Kuo.
