I remember when I got my first real flagship Android phone. It was back in 2017, and it was rocking the Snapdragon 845. That phone felt lightning fast, and it cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth every dollar. Fast forward to today, and I’m starting to feel priced out of the flagship market.
A recent article I read online really made me think about this whole thing. Apparently, the cost of those high-end Snapdragon processors has been steadily climbing for years. Back when I got my phone, the 845 was going for around $480. Now, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is estimated to be around $1400! That’s almost five times the price in less than a decade!
I get it, technology advances, and with those advancements come increased costs. But this feels like more than just a gradual increase. It’s like the price of these processors is skyrocketing, and guess who ends up footing the bill? Us, the consumers.
It’s not just the processor, of course. Everything about flagship phones seems to be getting more expensive: the cameras, the screens, even the RAM. It’s getting harder and harder to justify spending so much on a phone, even if you want the best of the best.
I saw some people online joking that we’re all just working for Qualcomm at this point. We buy their processors in our phones, and then we pay them even more money in patent fees. It’s a funny thought, but it also kind of stings because it feels true.
I’m not saying I’m going to ditch Android. I love the platform and the flexibility it offers. But I can’t help but feel a little frustrated by this trend. It’s like the barrier to entry for a great Android experience is getting higher and higher. Maybe I’ll just hold onto my current phone for a little longer this time around. Who knows, maybe by the time I’m ready to upgrade, prices will have stabilized…or maybe we’ll all be using flying cars by then.