Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ May Skip the Exynos 2600 in Global Markets

As we inch closer, more information about the Galaxy S26 series is piling up. As noted in previous rumors, Samsung was expected to adopt a chip split strategy for the Galaxy S26 series. But those plans now appear to have been scrapped, if a research note from a South Korean research institute is anything to go by.

All three Galaxy S26 phones may come with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally, except Korea

ITHome, citing Korean firm CTT Research, reveals something interesting. According to which, Samsung will ship Exynos 2600 in the Galaxy S26 and S26+ exclusively in South Korea. That means everywhere else, Samsung will ship the Galaxy S26 series with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset inside.

According to the findings, earlier Exynos chipsets suffered from three persistent issues. These include kernel-level security vulnerabilities, excessive heat buildup under heavy usage, and low manufacturing yield. These problems limited performance stability and raised concerns about long-term reliability.

Because of this track record, many consumers reportedly favored Snapdragon-powered units, which built a reputation. The analysis suggests that, despite recent improvements to Exynos, Samsung may remain cautious about committing to a full global rollout of its in-house processor. Furthermore, even if the Exynos 2600 delivers strong performance and Samsung expands its use across the Galaxy S26 lineup, production yield remains a serious concern.

At present, reports suggest the yield is around 50 percent. At that level, Samsung may struggle to produce enough usable chips to supply the Galaxy S26 and S26+ across regions. On top of that, Samsung is reportedly bound by a deal with Qualcomm that requires 75% of Galaxy S series phones to run on Snapdragon processors. This means Exynos-powered models cannot exceed roughly 25 percent of total production, even if yield improves.