The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 model phones could see a larger price hike over the models running the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 model phones, according to a known leaker. And this could result in pricier flagship phones next year like the Galaxy S25 or OnePlus 13.
This information comes from a post by digital chat station (via Android Authority) on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. In the post, it is claimed that the price of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, which bears the SM8750 model number, will increase significantly. The price is expected to rise enough that one phone maker has canceled their Pro model phone this year, although it's not mentioned who.
While we don’t have an exact figure for the price rise, any increase will concern developers. The main question is whether this increased price will be passed to the consumer or if developers will make sacrifices in other areas to keep the price tag the same, for instance by downgrading or at least not upgrading a phone's cameras, display or storage.
It is also possible that more developers will continue to use the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or the newer, less powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 instead, sacrificing the best available performance for greater affordability.
One other potential out for developers is focusing on powerful software upgrades to make up for any cost-cutting regarding hardware. For instance, the Galaxy S24 series has relatively minor improvements to its hardware but did introduce the world to the Galaxy AI package of features. Alternatively, Samsung could push more models with its improved Exynos chip to cut global costs.
While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 may have an increased cost, it is rumored to be one of the most powerful chips ever produced. Reportedly, the chip will come with a massive boost to its clock speed, jumping up to 4GHz, or potentially 4.26GHz, which hopefully means a similarly-sized boost to performance. Some alleged early benchmark numbers hinting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will either match or exceed Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and its A18 Pro chip.
A potential cost increase will be difficult for the consumers to swallow at the moment. While the power of Qualcomm's next chip appears impressive, it will be a tough sell if the price increase is too high. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Ultra hubs for any news and rumors as we hear them.
