The war between Android and iOS has many aspects, primarily the SoC (System on Chip) used in these devices. Apple has opted for its own chips, while in the Android realm, Qualcomm reigns as the king. Today, we compare the manufacturing costs of these chips.
The A17 Pro is Apple’s first 3nm SoC, exclusively featured in the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is mass-produced using TSMC’s next-generation architecture, the Taiwanese manufacturer.
Naturally, the enhancements brought by the latest SoC compared to the A16 Bionic justify its higher cost. But how much more expensive is it? Let’s find out.
The Apple chip is much cheaper than what they are selling it for
Well, according to the latest estimates, there is a 27% increase in the cost. But that’s not the surprising part; even Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, announced in 2022, is more expensive than Apple’s latest and best chip for the iPhone.
In previous estimates, Nikkei media stated that manufacturing the A16 Bionic cost Apple $110, and the A17 Pro had a slightly higher price tag, at $130 each.
It’s noteworthy that, despite being manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process and facing performance issues, Apple managed to produce these chips for only $20 more for the latest version. It’s possible that the tech giant was able to reduce this cost by increasing shipping volumes.
Considering the high demand for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max after their launch, this only makes things easier for Apple when it comes to ordering more shipments of the A17 Pro.
What’s most interesting about these estimates is that the estimated price of the A17 Pro, $130, remains cheaper than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, for which Qualcomm’s partners pay $160 per unit to use it in their flagship devices.
It’s important to note that the A17 Pro is exclusively used in Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max and is not sold to any other company. In comparison, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is sold to Qualcomm’s partners and is found in millions of Android smartphones.
