The dual-chip strategy seems to be catching up, with Qualcomm already jumping the gun. Apple was the first to introduce this trend. As for MediaTek, the Dimensity 9600 appears to be the only chip to launch in 2026. However, a new rumor claims that MediaTek is undecided if it wants to switch to a dual-chip launch strategy. But there are chances that MediaTek might end up bringing two chips because of the expensive TSMC’s 2nm node prices.
MediaTek has yet to decide on its dual-chip strategy
Weibo leaker Repeater 002 says that various smartphone brands are planning to launch four models for next year. He adds that there are plans to release these devices during September and October, with a similar naming scheme to Apple iPhones. The standard version will be the most affordable, as you’d expect, followed by the Pro and Pro Max variants.
This is only one side of the story. The most important part of the Weibo post is where the tipster mentions that MediaTek hasn’t made a decision about moving to a dual-chip strategy like Qualcomm.
MediaTek may be compelled
Qualcomm, this year, introduced a premium Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a relatively cheaper Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 . Going by the rumors, next year, the tech giant will unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. There could be significant differences between them, like the LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage support. A beefier GPU could be a part of the top-tier version. Considering MediaTek is still not sure about its dual-chip strategy, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact names.
The major advantage of MediaTek chips is their aggressive pricing. The Dimensity 9500 is apparently 50% cheaper than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 while using the same 3nm N3P process. Now, Apple has reportedly secured more than half of TSMC’s initial 2nm capacity for its A20 and A20 Pro for the next year. This apparently left MediaTek and Qualcomm no choice but to move to a slightly improved 2nm N2P node, resulting in higher costs.
This turn of events could mean the Dimensity 9600 will be more expensive, possibly forcing the company to introduce a watered-down version that’ll be cheaper. The advantage of this is that it can still offer core flagship performance, but at a slightly lower price. Since these are just speculations based on rumors, we suggest you tread lightly for now.
