[News] Qualcomm CEO in Korea, May Tap Samsung’s 2nm for Snapdragon 8 Elite 2; Meets SK hynix for Memory

Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, reportedly arrived in South Korea on April 21 and is scheduled to meet with executives from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in succession. According to Hankyung, a key focus of his visit may be potential collaboration with Samsung Foundry. He is expected to meet with foundry leadership, including President Han Jin-man, where discussions are said to include plans to produce Qualcomm’s next-generation application processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, on Samsung’s 2nm (SF2) process.

Amon has previously signaled potential collaboration with Samsung Foundry, as noted by Hankyung. At CES 2026 in January, he said Qualcomm had initiated discussions with Samsung on 2nm manufacturing and had already finalized the chip design.

If a deal is reached, Qualcomm’s most advanced chip orders, which were moved to TSMC in 2022, would return to Samsung for the first time in five years, the report notes. Amid continued increases in TSMC’s wafer pricing, Qualcomm is believed to be pursuing a dual sourcing strategy by allocating part of its next generation chip production to Samsung to reduce reliance, the report adds.

Qualcomm Expands Memory Strategy Alongside AI Push

Beyond potential collaboration with Samsung Foundry, Amon’s visit is also tied to Qualcomm’s efforts to secure memory supply. As the report indicates, he met with SK hynix executives to discuss memory procurement. With shortages of key memory components such as LPDDR (low power DRAM) intensifying, Qualcomm is reportedly seeking to secure supply more directly. The report also notes that, as Qualcomm steps up its push into the server market, collaboration involving HBM and SOCAMM was discussed in detail.

Qualcomm formally signaled this shift last year by introducing its data center AI inference offerings, including accelerator cards and rack systems built on its “Qualcomm AI200” and “AI250” chips, according to ETNews. The AI200 is set for commercial release this year, while the AI250 is expected to launch next year.

Meanwhile, ETNews also reports that Qualcomm has begun receiving LPDDR6X memory samples from Samsung Electronics. LPDDR6X is a next generation low power memory designed for mobile and AI devices, with mass production expected in the second half of 2027.

Beyond Samsung and SK hynix, Yonhap News reports that Amon also met with LG Electronics CEO Ryu Jae-chul, raising the possibility of new partnerships with Korean companies strong in wearables.

SEdaily adds that Qualcomm is expected to coordinate technological cooperation with LG Electronics in the field of physical AI, with collaboration expanding to audio products and automotive electronics. The report also notes expectations that the two companies may work together in areas such as smart glasses.

Read more

• [News] Samsung 2nm Yields Reportedly at ~55%, Below Mass Production Threshold; Qualcomm May Opt for TSMC
• [News] MediaTek, Qualcomm Reportedly Cut 4nm Wafer Starts, Down ~15% YoY Amid Rising Memory Costs

(Photo credit: Qualcomm)