Snapdragon Summit Hints at Exynos-Powered Galaxy S26

The Snapdragon Summit has kicked off in Maui, Hawaii, where Qualcomm’s first day wrapped up, but something felt off. Samsung didn’t confirm or deny Snapdragon for Galaxy S26 devices. Which is odd, given how Samsung’s TM Roh, Head of Samsung’s Mobile Experience, has hyped Snapdragon “For Galaxy” chips at past events, including Snapdragon Summit 2024.

Samsung may have struck gold with the Exynos 2600 with their 2nm GAA process, set to enter mass production soon. By potentially phasing out Qualcomm’s chips globally for their own silicon in future Galaxy models, like the S26 series. Samsung could allocate saved costs and prioritize other device enhancements over raw performance.

Why Exynos could be returning

The Galaxy Z Flip 7, powered by the Exynos 2500, maintained its price, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7, using Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, saw a $100 price hike. This suggests Samsung is leveraging Exynos to offset costs, enabling upgrades like the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s enhanced display.

But internal testing for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series, powered by the Exynos 2600, has matched the early performance of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite. Samsung appears to be moving away from relying completely on Qualcomm, aiming to compete not only with its chipset but also through its foundry business.

Undoubtedly, Samsung is Qualcomm’s highest-paying customer for Snapdragon chips, revealed by prominent leaker UniverseIce on X. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy has outsold the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite, meaning Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series sales has surpassed all other Androids equipped with the standard 8 Elite combined.

If Samsung switches to Exynos, Qualcomm could lose significant revenue. But regional Exynos release, like the Galaxy S24 series, remains possible. If you’re planning to purchase a Galaxy S26 series device, don’t forget to join the SammyGuru mystery box program! You get a free case, 65W charger, screen protector, and so much more in every box. Sign up today so you don’t miss out in January 2026!