Snapdragon Touted to Lead Galaxy S26 Lineup Despite Exynos Comeback

The Exynos comeback is one of the most talked-about storylines surrounding Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series. However, Qualcomm remains in the equation, with its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 expected to power the phones in some regions. In fact, some insider reports suggest the S26 Ultra will run Snapdragon globally. Backing that confidence, Qualcomm believes it will remain the primary chip supplier for the upcoming Samsung flagships.

Qualcomm expects to power 3 out of 4 Galaxy S26 phones

In its latest earnings call, Qualcomm reportedly stated that it expects to maintain around a 75% share of chip supply for the Galaxy S26 series. Since the Ultra model typically makes up nearly half of Samsung’s flagship sales, this projection strongly hints that Qualcomm will be the exclusive chip supplier for the S26 Ultra. The other two models could feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Exynos 2600, depending on the market.

If true, this would be a major win for Qualcomm and a huge setback for Samsung’s efforts to re-establish Exynos as a global player. However, Qualcomm is also known for its overly optimistic projections, often shaping the narrative in its favor during earnings calls. The company has made bold claims before that didn’t quite pan out.

For instance, when Apple launched its C1 modem, Qualcomm insisted it would continue supplying modems for iPhones for years to come. Yet, reports now indicate that the iPhone 18 series will fully transition to Apple’s in-house modem, effectively ending Qualcomm’s run in that segment. This history serves as a reminder to take the chipmaker’s current confidence about its Galaxy S26 share with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Samsung wants to leverage Exynos chips to reduce costs and strengthen its in-house semiconductor ecosystem. If the Exynos 2600, built on Samsung’s new 2nm process and featuring HPB (Heat Pass Block) packaging, proves to deliver solid thermal and performance results, the company could expand its use to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, potentially reducing the dependency on Qualcomm.

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