The Samsung Galaxy S25 series is expected to be launched on January 22, at Samsung's bi-annual Galaxy Unpacked event. Just like previous iterations, the upcoming lineup will also include three models, the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is rumoured that Samsung will use Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets across the lineup and in all regions, which could lead to an increased price for the Galaxy S25 series.
Why is Samsung switching to Qualcomm?
The use of Qualcomm chips isn't new. Samsung has used Snapdragon chipsets in certain regions like the USA, China and South Korea, and has reserved its in-house Exynos chipsets for other regions, including India. However, rumours suggest that Samsung is struggling with its Exynos 2500 chipsets, and the Samsung foundry hasn't been able to achieve successful yields for this 3nm fabrication. Typically, a 70% yield is expected for mass production, but Samsung has only been able to achieve 20-30% yields, which isn't meeting production standards. This is likely prompting Samsung to switch to the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is Qualcomm's flagship offering.
Why will Samsung increase the price of Galaxy S25 series?
According to global reports, Qualcomm is charging a heavy premium for its flagship chips. The cost for each Snapdragon 8 Elite chip is reportedly $190 (roughly Rs 16,300). This is Qualcomm's first lot of chips made using TSMC's 3nm fabrication process, which is keeping costs high. Moreover, the new chips come with greater processing prowess, and advanced AI capabilities among other upgrades. All of this could contribute to the pricing of the Galaxy S25 series, resulting in a price hike for buyers.
This isn't the first time Samsung has found itself in hot water with its pricing strategy. Qualcomm was relying on Samsung for the production of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, but Samsung's fabrication faced low yields, which eventually prompted Qualcomm to switch to TSMC, and later release a revised Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset.
It is important to note that the use of a Qualcomm chipset on all S25 series devices across all regions is also good news for buyers, especially those wanting parity between Indian and global models in terms of device performance and battery life. As we head closer to the launch, buyers must be prepared to shell out slightly higher to get the upcoming Galaxy S25 series.