[News] Samsung Reportedly Plans Exynos 2600 in Galaxy S26 Models, Reducing Qualcomm Reliance

According to South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper, sources say Samsung plans to equip the base and slim Galaxy S26 models with the Exynos 2600, while the Ultra version will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2.

Samsung’s Exynos is reportedly showing a rebound in performance, according to Chosun Daily. Though long criticized for lagging behind Qualcomm’s APs, sources cited by the report said it recently delivered strong benchmark results, coming close to the performance of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, Chosun Daily points out.

As Maeil Business Newspaper notes, beyond model differentiation, Samsung is also reinstating its regional supply strategy. Devices for Korea and Europe will mainly feature Exynos chips, while those bound for North America will continue to rely on Qualcomm.

Exynos 2600: Litmus Test for Samsung’s Chip Ambitions

Maeil Business Newspaper indicates that Exynos’ comeback could act as a litmus test for Samsung’s broader semiconductor business. Should the Exynos 2600 prove competitive with Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon, it would reinforce confidence in both the System LSI and Foundry divisions and enhance Samsung’s standing in the global chip market. But if its performance falls short, it risks dealing a blow to the company’s chip business.

As the report notes, the Exynos 2600 is Samsung’s first flagship chip built on the foundry’s 2-nanometer gate-all-around (GAA) process and is reported to deliver significant gains over its predecessor in power efficiency and heat management.

Exynos Comeback Could Cut Costs and Lift Foundry Orders for Samsung

The move away from exclusive reliance on Qualcomm is also set to benefit Samsung’s MX (Mobile eXperience) division, which manages its smartphone business. With APs making up a significant share of production costs—and Qualcomm’s prices climbing amid higher wafer fees at TSMC’s foundry—Samsung can cut expenses by using its own processors, as noted by Maeil Business Newspaper.

The Exynos comeback also brings positive implications for Samsung’s Foundry division. Although the Exynos 2600 is designed by the System LSI unit, mass production is handled by Samsung Foundry. Maeil Business Newspaper points out that a stable adoption of Exynos in the Galaxy S26 series would allow the foundry business to secure additional production volumes.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Nears Qualcomm 2nm Deal as Foundry Recovery Gains Momentum
• [News] Samsung’s 2nm Exynos 2600 Reportedly Enters Prototype Mass Production, Targets 50% Yield

(Photo credit: Samsung)