MediaTek Dimensity 9500 to Launch Ahead of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite 2 — September Set for Chipset Showdown

September is shaping up to be a blockbuster month in the smartphone world. While Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite 2 is set to be unveiled in late September, MediaTek is reportedly planning to steal the spotlight by announcing its next-gen flagship chipset, the Dimensity 9500, even earlier.

MediaTek vs Qualcomm: The Next-Gen Chip Battle

The leak comes from Digital Chat Station, a well-known Chinese tipster on Weibo, who claims that MediaTek is planning to beat Qualcomm to the punch by announcing the Dimensity 9500 before the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 sees the light of day. If the leak holds true, the chip war is about to heat up faster than expected.

Flagship Smartphones to Follow Quickly

As is tradition, Chinese smartphone brands like Xiaomi, Vivo, iQOO, Realme, and Honor are likely to roll out their next-gen flagships almost immediately after the chipset announcements. This means that several new devices — powered by the Dimensity 9500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 — could be official by late September, hitting stores in Q4 2025.

This quick turnover cycle also means that some current flagship phones (launched in late 2024 or early 2025) will become "last-gen" in just 9–10 months, especially in China. It remains to be seen how customers who recently bought those devices will react to the rapid refresh.

September’s Smartphone Storm: Don’t Forget Apple

Adding to the frenzy, Apple’s new iPhones are expected to be announced in September as well. With MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Apple all launching major products in the same month, the smartphone industry is in for one of its busiest seasons ever.