Qualcomm is gearing up for Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 launch later this year. As per the latest reports, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 could have two variants – one manufactured by Samsung that could power flagship Galaxy phones, and the other manufactured by TSMC for the rest of the high-end devices.
Qualcomm chipsets powering Galaxy flagships have carried a “Snapdragon for Galaxy” moniker in the past, featuring minor tweaks. However, as per South Korea's Business Post, the Galaxy variant of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 this year could be fabricated by Samsung itself.
Samsung's version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 will be based on its 2nm process node, and it could power the next-generation flagship Galaxy phones, like the Galaxy S26 series. Whereas, the other 3nm-based variant manufactured by TSMC could power other high-end smartphones. Samsung foundry's 2nm yield has shown promising results so far. This processor is internally names "Kaanapali S" whereas the TSMC-made variant is known as "Kaanapali".
The Samsung foundry previously failed to capitalize on its 3nm process, citing various reasons. However, the manufacturing is expected to pick up pace, with 2nm yields reportedly rising to 40%. That's less than the 60% target, that Samsung needs to achieve profits, but the number could increase down the line.
The next step for the foundry seems to be 1.4nm processors, but it has reportedly been postponed to focus more on 2nm yield. As for Qualcomm's surprise decision to move to Samsung, reports suggest it could be due to TSMC's rising costs due to lack of competition in the segment.
However, Samsung's problems expand beyond just the lacking yield. The firm's Texas plant could get reduced tax benefits due to the US' difficult visa policies that make it harder for workers to work in the US. It should be interesting to see how the firm aims to tackle both the issues.
