A new report has made surprising claims about Samsung’s flagship strategy. According to the report, Samsung will be forced to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset globally in the Galaxy S26 Ultra to avoid potential fines from Qualcomm. This means the company will use Qualcomm’s latest chipset in all Ultra models, rather than its own Exynos chips.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mandatory
According to the report, the current agreement between Samsung and Qualcomm has not yet expired. If the Korean tech giant terminates the partnership early, it will be required to pay a hefty fine to Qualcomm. While the amount of the fine was not specified, it is believed that Samsung has opted to purchase Snapdragon chips rather than pay the fine.
Furthermore, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is expected to be featured in approximately 75% of all Galaxy S26 models. The remaining models will use the Exynos 2600. However, using Snapdragon in the Galaxy S26 Ultra also addresses the suboptimal efficiency issues of Samsung’s own Exynos 2600.
Samsung would normally prefer to use its own Exynos chips to save billions of dollars in chip costs. However, Qualcomm’s transition to TSMC’s new manufacturing processes and changes to its core design have increased costs.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is estimated to have a unit price of around $280. This could force Samsung to implement a price increase on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The company’s chipset spending in 2023 is estimated to be $9 billion.
Qualcomm’s business tactics have long been a source of controversy in the technology industry. The company grows its share by forcing manufacturers into difficult partnerships. For example, it demanded licensing fees from Apple not only for its 5G modems but also for using its patented technology.
This situation has prompted Apple to develop its own modem chip. It’s possible Samsung has signed a similar long-term agreement. However, as history has shown, the tech giant’s inherent self-sufficiency often leads companies like Qualcomm to take advantage of these opportunities.
So, what are your thoughts on Samsung being forced to use Snapdragon in the Galaxy S26 Ultra? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
