Throughout Samsung Unpacked 2025, we heard that the Galaxy S25 collection telephones have a “customized” (type of) Qualcomm Snapdragon chip to energy its options. That is fairly cool — we all know Snapdragon chips carry out nicely and we have seen what constructing an AI-tailored SoC permits in Google’s Pixel telephones. The 3nm Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite paired with a Samsung-spec NPU ought to work out nicely if Samsung can tame the warmth it should generate.
However I will guess that it was awfully costly. This is the rub — Samsung might have made that chip in its personal chip foundry, constructed to its personal specs, and tailor-made completely for the Galaxy S25. As an alternative, it paid additional on high of Qualcomm’s hefty costs.
I am betting it should inside the subsequent 5 years. It would not make sense to proceed to do issues the way in which they had been finished for the S25 when there’s a higher and extra worthwhile means. Except Samsung stops making telephones, I believe the Galaxy S30 could have one hell of an Exynos SoC working the present.
The one attainable hurdle is Qualcomm. Qualcomm will do something to maintain Samsung as a buyer. Samsung might put Exynos chips in a few of its merchandise, however it ships lots of telephones, tablets, and watches with a Snapdragon something-or-other within them. Meaning some huge cash is shifting from Samsung’s pockets into Qualcomm’s.
It is a good relationship for either side, although. It isn’t like Qualcomm is ripping off Samsung or something as a result of it will get gadgets that work higher than they might in any other case, particularly in North America, which all firms cherish probably the most for some foolish cause. Perhaps it is as a result of we’re so keen to throw cash at anybody or something.
Qualcomm would not should lose Samsung as a buyer and really would possibly make extra revenue one other means — by licensing very particular issues beneath very particular phrases.
Hypothetically, let’s speak Galaxy S30 though the Galaxy S25 simply got here out. The Galaxy S30, Galaxy S30 Plus, and Galaxy S30 Extremely might have a singular Exynos Extremely Elite 9000 chip that may by no means be in every other cellphone.
It will be made by Samsung with wi-fi connectivity choices, core design, and perhaps even GPU cores constructed utilizing Qualcomm’s design. Technically, it is attainable: Samsung licenses ARM design from ARM Holdings. It then licenses the modifications to these designs that Qualcomm has made from Qualcomm. It could add its personal suite of co-processors and NPU cores to construct a singular, highly effective chip.
Qualcomm would not have to fret about fabrication points, foundry time, high quality management, or delivery dates. It sits again and collects one thing like $0.11 from each single Galaxy S30 collection cellphone offered simply because it lets Samsung take a look at some pc information. Cha-ching.
On paper, it could seem like a loss till you separate revenue from revenue. Qualcomm spends no cash letting Samsung do that, so each penny is revenue. Qualcomm, like each different mega-corporation, loves the scent of revenue.
On Samsung’s finish, issues scent simply as profity. First, it would not should pay additional for a Snapdragon SoC designed to combine with any customized fabrications or additions it has. That is sufficient cause to need this. Samsung may also develop its personal chip foundry enterprise to satisfy demand, finally turning into capable of fab 3nm chips for different firms.
It would not have the ability to promote these customized chips to anybody else or use them in merchandise not lined beneath the hypothetical license. It most likely would not have the ability to as a result of each S30 worldwide might ship with this new chip, and that is prone to be a bazillion telephones.
I do not see any draw back apart from Qualcomm not having the ability to brag about all of the chips it sells to Samsung or saying the way it makes “probably the most superior chip for probably the most superior cellphone within the universe” or one thing equally foolish. Qualcomm most likely loves having the ability to try this, however I will guess it loves making a living with out spending a penny to do it much more.
Let’s do that. It is about time Samsung did one thing superb once more.
