Qualcomm is planning a big change in how it makes its chips. Recent reports say the company is moving closer to Samsung Foundry to produce its next flagship processors. Qualcomm is discussing making its upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips using Samsung’s 2nm technology.
This would be an important move because, for many years, Qualcomm has mostly depended on TSMC to make its best chips. The reason for this possible change includes rising costs, limited production capacity, and Samsung improving its chip quality, especially in yield and heat management.
In the last few years, Qualcomm mainly used TSMC to produce its top Snapdragon 8-series chips, including the latest 3nm chips. Around 2022, Qualcomm stopped using Samsung because Samsung-made chips had problems like inconsistent production quality and overheating.
But now, new reports from Korean and global sources say Samsung has fixed many of these issues in its 2nm SF2 process. This improvement makes Samsung competitive again, and Qualcomm is thinking about working with them. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is expected to use Samsung’s second-generation 2nm process, which should give better power efficiency and allow more transistors compared to older technologies.
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Reports from early 2026 say Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon has been meeting Samsung executives in South Korea to discuss using Samsung’s 2nm factories for future chips. Korean media reports say this is part of Qualcomm’s plan to not depend on just one chip manufacturer.
TSMC’s prices have been increasing because many companies want advanced chips, and other chipmakers are also looking for alternatives. If Qualcomm finalizes this deal, it will be the first time since the early 2020s that it uses Samsung for its most advanced mobile chips.
Experts say Qualcomm’s possible move to Samsung is not only about saving money but also about making its supply chain safer. By using both TSMC and Samsung, Qualcomm can avoid problems like production shortages, political risks, and price increases.
One report says Qualcomm may even create different versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips. Some versions could be made using Samsung’s 2nm SF2 process, while others may still use TSMC’s 2nm N2P process. This method of using two manufacturers is already used in some desktop and server chips and is now coming to mobile processors.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is expected to power the best Android phones of 2026. According to leaks, phones like the Samsung Galaxy S27 series, Xiaomi 18, OnePlus 16, and other premium devices will use this chip, no matter whether it is made by Samsung or TSMC.
Because of the 2nm process, users can expect better performance, stronger AI features on the device, and longer battery life. Smaller transistors mean more components can fit in the same space, which allows more powerful CPUs and GPUs, better AI units, and improved memory and connectivity.
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Along with chip manufacturing, Qualcomm is also working with memory companies like SK Hynix to ensure a steady supply of advanced RAM for future devices. As smartphones use more AI features, they need faster memory like LPDDR5X and upcoming LPDDR6. Qualcomm wants to make sure there are no shortages. This shows that Qualcomm is improving not only its chip production partners but also its relationships across the whole supply chain, including memory and storage companies.
From a business point of view, Qualcomm’s interest in Samsung’s 2nm process is good news for Samsung Foundry. Samsung has been trying to regain big customers after losing some to TSMC in recent years.