A new report from South Korea says Qualcomm is still talking with Samsung about producing some of its upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Gen 6 Pro chips.
Qualcomm is expected to announce the new chips later this month. Earlier reports suggested that TSMC would be the only company making them, but Qualcomm may now be considering Samsung as a second supplier.
Why Samsung?
Samsung’s 2nm chip production has reportedly improved, making it a more realistic option for Qualcomm.
The report estimates Samsung’s current production yield at around 55%, meaning roughly 55 out of every 100 chips produced could meet the required specifications. TSMC is reportedly at around 60% to 70%.
However, Qualcomm reportedly wants at least a 70% yield for large-scale production, so Samsung still has some catching up to do.
Qualcomm and Samsung are reportedly discussing specifications, pricing, and how to optimize Samsung’s manufacturing process. It’s still unclear how many Snapdragon chips Samsung would actually produce.
TSMC has a capacity problem
The bigger issue may be how many chips TSMC can make.
TSMC is targeting 60,000 2nm wafers per month by Q4 2026, but Apple has reportedly taken more than half of that capacity for its own chips.
That could leave Qualcomm struggling to secure enough production for its new Snapdragon chips.
This is where Samsung could come in.
Rather than replacing TSMC, Samsung could act as a backup or second supplier, giving Qualcomm another source of chips if TSMC’s capacity becomes too tight.
For now, nothing is confirmed. Samsung’s reported 2nm yield is still below Qualcomm’s target, and the two companies are still discussing the details.
But if a deal happens, Qualcomm could have a more flexible supply chain for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, while Samsung gets another major opportunity to prove its 2nm technology.
With the new Snapdragon chips expected to be announced later this month, we shouldn’t have to wait long to see whether Samsung gets a piece of Qualcomm’s next flagship silicon.