The "Involution" Feast in the October 2024 Mobile World: Flagship Phones Collectively Rise in Price, AIOS Emerges as the New Trend

The "Involution" Feast in the October 2024 Mobile World: Flagship Phones Collectively Rise in Price, AIOS Emerges as the New TrendOctober 2024 witnessed unprecedented excitement in the mobile phone industry. After vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, iQOO, and OnePlus, Honor is set to unveil its new generation flagship Magic7 series in October, making this "flagship battle" a fiery spectacle

The "Involution" Feast in the October 2024 Mobile World: Flagship Phones Collectively Rise in Price, AIOS Emerges as the New Trend

October 2024 witnessed unprecedented excitement in the mobile phone industry. After vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, iQOO, and OnePlus, Honor is set to unveil its new generation flagship Magic7 series in October, making this "flagship battle" a fiery spectacle.

New Chips, New Phones, New Prices

In October, smartphone manufacturers are unveiling their trump cards, captivating consumers with new chips, features, and designs. The Dimensity 9400 takes the stage first, with vivo X200 series' three models emerging as the initial adopters. Closely on its heels, OPPO is set to launch two Find X8 series models next week, also powered by the Dimensity 9400, directly challenging vivo.

Meanwhile, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit is scheduled for October 22nd, expected to unveil the next-generation flagship chip "Snapdragon 8 Elite." According to tech bloggers, four manufacturers are expected to release flagship models equipped with the "Snapdragon 8 Elite" in the last week of October. Honor and iQOO are almost confirmed, with Xiaomi and OnePlus also anticipated to join the fray.

Beyond the new chips, flagship phone prices have also witnessed a collective increase. The vivo X200 series starts at a hefty price tag of 4299 yuan, a 300 yuan jump from the previous generation vivo X100. Xiaomi's Wang Teng offered his perspective, attributing the price hike to rising chip costs and high memory prices.

The cost of TSMC's latest N3E process has significantly increased, leading to a 155 USD and 180 USD rise in procurement costs for the Dimensity 9400 and Snapdragon 8 Elite, respectively. Concurrently, memory prices have been steadily increasing over the past year, projected to reach their peak next year.

AIOS Emerges as a New Trend, Systems Across the Board Embrace "AIfication"

Apart from hardware upgrades, smartphone manufacturers are making strides in the system domain, pushing out new systems infused with AI capabilities. vivo launched OriginOS 5 and Blue River Operating System 2, introducing Blueheart Intelligence to integrate large model capabilities more deeply into the core.

Huawei HarmonyOS and vivo Blue River Operating System 2 both position AI as the bedrock for their cross-device operating systems. Meanwhile, OPPO ColorOS 15 highlights AI as its core selling point, proclaiming "AI, Closer Than Ever." Honor is slated to release MagicOS 9.0, with the slogan "Witness the Magic of AI," emphasizing "Level 5 Full Auto" AIOS.

Learning from Apple, Surpassing Apple

Apple's lack of innovation is widely acknowledged, but its market influence remains undeniable. The design paradigm of the iPhone 12 series has become the prevailing trend in phone design, with straight screens replacing curved screens becoming the mainstream choice.

Domestic manufacturers are learning from Apple, striving to surpass it in certain areas. The Dynamic Island design has become a subject of emulation, with vivo, OPPO, Honor, and others introducing similar features and building upon them to introduce more functionalities.

vivo has forged ahead of Apple in offline communication, collaborating with MediaTek to achieve offline communication exceeding 1500 meters on the vivo X200 series, and supporting multi-device relay.

Consumer Anxiety Behind the Price Increase

The collective price increase of flagship phones has sparked consumer concerns. While performance enhancements driven by technological advancements are undeniably appealing, does the substantial price hike deliver commensurate value?

Consumer enthusiasm for flagship models might wane due to price, but the desire for cutting-edge technology and unparalleled experiences remains robust. The integration of AI is gradually transforming the phone experience, and with a mutual drive, AI is destined to become a pivotal battlefield in the smartphone market in the coming years.

The Mobile Industry Landscape Shifts

The escalating prices of flagship phones are prompting consumers to reconsider their purchase decisions, leading to a transformation in both the mobile industry landscape and its rules of engagement.

Competition among manufacturers is not merely a battle of technology but also a clash of price competitiveness. Consumers are left pondering whether these technological advancements genuinely justify the escalating prices.

The ultimate outcome of this "Flagship Battle" will depend on the product strength, market strategies employed by each manufacturer, and consumer choices.