The A-series processor in the latest iPhone Pro series enables on-device inference workloads, initiating the commercial rollout of TSMC's smallest semiconductor node. This transition expands to other flagship devices, including the Xiaomi 18 Pro, which launches September 23 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, and the Vivo X500 and Oppo Find X10 series, both utilizing the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro. Qualcomm's Extreme Gen 6 variant further elevates these capabilities, supporting local execution of Mixture-of-Experts models with up to 30B parameters.

Competition in the premium market has shifted toward a combination of 2nm hardware and aggressive pricing. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at US$1,299 and the iPhone 18 Pro begins at RMB 9,999 in China, rivals are undercutting these prices; the Oppo Find X10 starts at RMB 5,499 and the Vivo X500 Pro Max at RMB 6,999. Analysts expect this shift to increase demand for Taiwanese suppliers, specifically TSMC, Hon Hai Precision Industry, Taitien Electronics, Largan Precision, and Genius Electronic Optical.