The unreleased Snapdragon chip could be fabricated on the Samsung's new 2nm process (SF2) technology.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 (pictured) is powered by Samsung's Exynos 2500 processor
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is rumoured to be in development as the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which was announced in July. As per a report, the purported clamshell-style foldable handset could be powered by an unreleased version of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. Samsung is said to have provided samples to the chipmaker fabricated using its 2nm (SF2) process technology. Samsung already uses slightly overclocked versions of flagship Snapdragon chips for its Galaxy S series smartphones.
The recently launched Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is built on TSMC's 3nm process technology (N3P). NewDaily reports (in Korean) that Samsung's Foundry division is working on a more advanced unreleased version of this chip that may be fabricated on the Samsung's new 2nm process (SF2) technology.
The South Korean tech conglomerate is said to have provided samples of this next-generation application processor (AP) to Qualcomm in a bid to evaluate the feasibility of its mass production, which is a multistep process. Over the next few months, the chipmaker will reportedly test the power efficiency, performance, heat generation, yield, and reliability of the SoC before trial production can begin.
Metrics beyond its technical capabilities will also be tested, as per the report. Qualcomm may also assess the yield stability, schedule adherence, and long-term supply capacity. If the contract is secured, the 2nm chip's mass production will reportedly be handled by TSMC, although Samsung could play the role of a “sub-partner” and share limited volumes.
The publication cited an industry insider as saying, “If the collaboration with Qualcomm gains traction, the competitive landscape in 2nm foundry technology could become far more dynamic than it is today”.
If everything is on schedule, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 could debut with the 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The handset is expected to be unveiled in July 2026, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Samsung typically uses Qualcomm chips in its flagship Galaxy S-series handsets, although it is a custom “for Galaxy” variant with different clock speeds. The last Galaxy Z Flip model to use a Snapdragon processor was the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which was powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. In subsequent iterations, the tech conglomerate switched to its proprietary Exynos chips, with the latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 featuring an Exynos 2500 processor.
As per the report, Samsung's SF2 processor is claimed to improve the transistor density and power efficiency compared to the company's 3nm process. It leverages a Gate-All-Around (GAA) architecture that refines both chip performance and power consumption by enhancing the gate control versus FinFET.
Samsung is said to have stabilised the yield of the unreleased 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC through its Exynos 2600 test production. It only supplied samples of the chipset to Qualcomm after meeting the internal quality standards.
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