Samsung was said to have lost out on acquiring any Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 orders from Qualcomm, with the upcoming flagship chipset reported to be exclusively mass produced on TSMC’s 3nm ‘N3P’ process. However, fortune may be favoring the Korean giant and its quest to narrow the gap with its foundry rival because there is a possibility that one version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, codenamed ‘Kaanapali S,’ leverages Samsung’s 2nm GAA technology. At this time, a fresh report claims that the chipset is undergoing trial production, and with Samsung’s yields slowly improving, Qualcomm’s dual-sourcing dream could finally be realized.
Mass production of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 using Samsung’s 2nm GAA process could commence in Q1 2026, though the chipset could be exclusive to the Galaxy S26 series
During Samsung’s Q1 2025 earnings call, the company asserted its assurance that it is focused on stabilizing 2nm GAA yields and will begin taking orders from the second half of 2025. The firm has allegedly commenced prototype mass production of the Exynos 2600, with Samsung reportedly aiming to increase its yields to 50 percent in the coming months. This kind of progress cannot be ignored, and it may have piqued Qualcomm’s interest in seeing the 2nm GAA technology in person. According to Business Post, with the key details summarized by the tipster @Jukanlosreve on X, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 will arrive in two versions.
The basic version is said to be mass produced on TSMC’s 3nm N3P node, while the other variant will allegedly utilize Samsung’s 2nm GAA process, with the latter’s yields said to have recently surpassed 40 percent. This Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is reportedly exclusive to the Galaxy S26 series and is currently undergoing test production. Assuming Samsung passes this phase, a schedule to mass produce the SoC will start in the second half of 2025, with official mass production kicking off in Q1 2026. Currently, there is no estimate on how many monthly wafers Samsung’s foundry can churn out, but looking at the recent progress, the figure should climb significantly by the end of this year.
TSMC reportedly started accepting orders for its 2nm technology from April 1, and even though it is currently ahead of Samsung in the cutting-edge lithography race, the Korean technology behemoth could have the last laugh by unveiling its first solution on the same manufacturing process. Hopefully, this time, the company will use all of its resources and opportunities to narrow the market share gap with TSMC.
News Source: Business Post
