If you are eyeing up a new phone or tablet, you might want to buy it sooner rather than later. Any gadgets packing a Qualcomm processor is about to get a bit pricier, thanks to a sudden cost hike coming straight from the chipmaker.
Qualcomm has confirmed that prices are set to jump from 1 September. The company’s boss, Cristiano Amon, did not beat around the bush, explaining that their own expenses have soared, so prices have to follow suit. The good news is that they are framing this as a temporary blip rather than a permanent standard, aiming to ease things back down once supply chain pressures settle.
The reason for the jump comes down to the sheer cost of making tech right now. Everything from wafer fabrication and assembly to memory and advanced packaging is costing significantly more across the whole semiconductor world.
While Qualcomm sells directly to device makers rather than shoppers, it is almost certain that brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Honor and many other brands will pass these extra expenses straight onto us. If your next gadget uses a Snapdragon chip, expect to pay a little extra at the checkout.