Samsung galaxy s27 series faces double whammy of price hikes

Fans of Samsung's flagship foldable phones, prepare for a financial gut punch as the tech giant faces a perfect storm of rising costs.

Snapdragon supply shortage adds fuel to the fire

Not only are smartphone makers like Samsung dealing with the already steep memory component inflation, but Qualcomm, the powerhouse behind many premium Android processors, is now hiking chipset prices by double-digit percentages.

According to a Bloomberg report, Qualcomm notified customers last Friday that the price increase will hit all product shipments starting September 1. And considering Qualcomm's top-tier chips are the gold standard for high-end Android phones, delivering snappy performance and lag-free gaming, this move is likely to reverberate throughout the industry.

The reason for this drastic measure? Qualcomm's manufacturing partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), is struggling to keep up with demand due to data center shortages and a semiconductor production bottleneck. As TSMC grapples with these challenges, Qualcomm is left shouldering the increased costs.

So, what does this mean for consumers? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8, already pricey at launch, now cost around $100 more than their predecessors. Meanwhile, the upcoming Galaxy S27 series, including the Ultra model, may see even more substantial price hikes.

While Samsung could opt to increase the ratio of its in-house Exynos chips to soften the financial blow, this might not sit well with buyers who consider Qualcomm-powered devices generally superior in terms of performance.