Qualcomm seems to be gearing up to increase prices for its Snapdragon processors. This latest move by the chipmaker is likely to make Android smartphones more expensive as manufacturers pass on the higher component costs to consumers. The price hike could affect a range of smartphones, tablets, and other wearables as Qualcomm deliver chipsets to major smartphone brands. The planned price increases are said to be a short-term measure to address the market conditions and ongoing memory crunch.
Snapdragon Chips to Get More Expensive
As reported by CNBC, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said the company plans to expand its margins by increasing chip prices starting September 1. The company is also said to be looking for ways to improve its supply chain. The price hikes will affect the company’s chips, which are supplied to smartphone manufacturers.
Amon reportedly said consumers are preferring the lower end of the premium smartphone segment and last year’s phone instead of the latest premium models because of the memory price increases. He added that higher supply costs have impacted gross margins. “It’s a temporary, short-term thing we are addressing with price increases” Amon reportedly said.
Qualcomm’s plans to increase prices come after the company reported a 20 percent year-over-year decline in handset chip revenue in Q3, with sales falling to $5.1 billion. The decline is attributed to weak market trends in China and rising memory costs.
In its Q3 2026 earnings call, the company said the semiconductor industry is experiencing widespread cost increases across wafer production, assembly, testing, advanced packaging, memory, and other materials. The company noted that its revenue remains healthy despite these challenges.
Qualcomm has not specified the percentage of increase, but it is rumoured to raise chip prices by double digits for products shipped after September 1. The price hike is expected to affect brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo, and OnePlus. The company is likely to launch Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series chipsets at its annual Snapdragon Summit in September this year and is likely to make its way to the Xiaomi 18, OnePlus 16, and Samsung Galaxy S27.
