50%
Plausible
Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek are all rumored to prepare their first 2nm chipsets this year, with the iPhone maker said to stick with TSMC’s N2 node, whereas its competitors have been mentioned to transition to the slightly improved N2P process to have a small performance edge while also ensuring that there are adequate wafer shipments for the two companies. Previously, Apple had a time advantage of a few weeks when it unveiled the iPhone 17 series, but according to the latest rumor, all three companies are going to be ‘neck in neck’ as far as launch timelines go. With this advantage no longer present, all three firms will have to produce their best silicon yet.
Xiaomi 18 is rumored to be the first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 flagship, with several others preferring MediaTek due to the Dimensity 9600’s competitive pricing
On Weibo, Smart Pikachu has commented that flagships powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Dimensity 9600 will share the same launch window as the iPhone 18, which is September. However, if you recall, even the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Dimensity 9500 were announced in September, but the difference was that Apple managed to host its event a couple of weeks before Qualcomm and MediaTek. Given the company’s robust supply chain, Apple opened pre-orders just a week after the unveiling, securing a massive head start against the competition.
- iPhone 17 launch - September 9
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 launch - September 24
- Dimensity 9500 launch - September 22
Another tipster from Weibo, Smart Chip Insider, has also claimed that the A20 and A20 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, and Dimensity 9600 will launch in the same month, but looking at the dates above, Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek will only be repeating history, unless, the rumor was implying that the 2nm chipsets will be announced close to each other. Assuming this is Smart Pikachu’s actual claim, then yes, Apple’s time advantage will be removed, but the company has another weapon that it will utilize to its full advantage: its robust supply chain.
Even when the first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Dimensity 9500 flagships were announced, it took them weeks to reach the market, whereas the iPhone 17 series hardly took time to be flooded in a ton of markets. For this time advantage to be completely off the table, Qualcomm and MediaTek will not just have to work with TSMC to ensure that their SoC shipments don’t witness a delay, while also collaborating with the phone partners to make efforts to flood their flagships around the same time as the iPhone 18. Of course, it is easier said than done, particularly during the DRAM crisis, so let us keep our fingers crossed and wait for more updates.
News Source: Smart Pikachu
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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