Qualcomm plans double-digit chip price hikes starting September 1

Qualcomm told customers on Friday, July 24, 2026, that higher supplier costs and a failed search for alternative components will force it to raise chip prices by a double-digit percentage beginning September 1, 2026. The new pricing will apply to products shipped after that date and could affect smartphones, VR headsets, laptops, and other Snapdragon-based devices.

According to Bloomberg, Qualcomm said it can no longer absorb higher costs from suppliers. The company also said it had tried to secure alternative components from new sources, but that effort was not enough to avoid the increase.

Bloomberg added that the move is likely to ripple through much of the tech industry. The reported price hike could affect smartphones, VR headsets, Windows ARM laptops, wearables, and other devices built around Snapdragon chips.

GamesRadar+ said the Steam Frame could be affected because it uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Road to VR also said Meta Quest 3 and Pico 4 Ultra could be hit, since both use Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chips.

Bloomberg also said Qualcomm has been hit by historic supply shortages affecting memory chips and other semiconductors. With double-digit price hikes set to begin in September, the impact may spread far beyond one product category.

Google recently also confirmed that Pixel smartphones will become more expensive due to rising memory costs.

Will double-digit chip price hikes push smartphone, VR headset, and laptop prices up too?