Qualcomm’s Next-Gen Snapdragon to Use Samsung’s 2nm Process in 2026 Apple Showdown

The post Qualcomm’s Next-Gen Snapdragon to Use Samsung’s 2nm Process in 2026 Apple Showdown appeared first on Android Headlines.

Apr 29, 2025 - 16:08

Samsung Foundry continues to work hard to try to turn around the complicated situation it’s been in for the past few years. Its 3nm chip wafers still seem to be experiencing some issues, but the company has great faith in its 2nm process. Initial tests have yielded positive results, and progress has been good. Now, a report claims that Samsung is even planning to produce a dedicated 2nm version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chip.

According to rumors, Qualcomm will launch the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 in September. TSMC will produce the chip using its latest 3nm technology. The hardware platform is expected to power most premium and high-performance Android phones/tablets in 2026. That said, it seems Samsung wants a dedicated version that offers better performance. It could also showcase the technological prowess of the South Korean giant.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 “for Galaxy” could be a Samsung-made 2nm chip

For some years now, Samsung has used “for Galaxy” variants of Qualcomm chips in its flagship phones. These variants are slightly overclocked compared to the standard ones, although they share the rest of the features. However, for 2026, Samsung aims to achieve a new milestone by producing the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 itself in a 2nm variant. This would further separate it from the standard 3nm version manufactured by TSMC.

According to Korean media (via Jukanlosreve), Qualcomm and Samsung are coordinating plans to make the project possible. The special 2nm chip is expected to be featured in Galaxy flagship phones for the second half of 2026. Thus, the Galaxy S26 series is still expected to use 3nm chips manufactured by TSMC. The potential timeframe coincides with the foldable phones Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. The firm is expected to finalize the chip design in Q2 2025 with a view to mass production in Q1 2026.

A big opportunity for Samsung

If all goes well, Samsung Foundry has a great opportunity to regain its lost prestige. Qualcomm is the main supplier of chips for flagship mobile devices. Therefore, the whole mobile tech industry is always very attentive to the performance of its hardware platforms. The loss of prestige of Samsung’s factories was largely due to the severe performance issues of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 produced on its wafers. A successful Samsung-made Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chip would send a powerful message to the industry. “This Qualcomm partnership could pave the way for orders from other big tech players,” predicts one industry source.

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