Qualcomm reportedly drops Samsung from Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 production

Qualcomm Snapdragon

Since the last few months, multiple rumours and reports have suggested that Qualcomm and Samsung were collaborating on a 2nm variant of the upcoming flagship chipset from the chipmaker, which could be purportedly named Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. This partnership was expected to surpass the capabilities of current 3nm chips and potentially introduce the world’s first 2nm processor, promising increased battery efficiency and performance gains. However, the company may have now pivoted away from Samsung's fabrication efforts and could continue with TSMC for its next-gen flagship processor.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2: Expected manufacturing details

According to prominent X tipster Jukan Choi, Qualcomm has reportedly cancelled the 2nm Samsung-manufactured version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. It was initially internally codenamed as SM8850-S, appearing alongside an SM8850-T list name, which is supposed to be a 3nm chip made by TSMC.

However, the Samsung codename for the chip has disappeared from Qualcomm’s listings altogether, strongly implying that TSMC is set to continue as the manufacturer for the next-generation flagship chipset from Qualcomm. The move also suggests that all major Android phones launching in late 2025 and early next year will likely feature the TSMC version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, which would have a similar fabrication process to its predecessor.

The tipster also adds that a substantial hike in the cost of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 prototype chips can be expected, which are now priced at $15,000. These prototype figures are typically used by manufacturers and developers for testing and early optimization of their devices, and this price increase suggests the increased cost of upcoming flagship smartphones.

Qualcomm’s SM8845 chip, which is likely to be the successor to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, is also reportedly in the works and could be launched a few months after the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, offering near-flagship performance at a more affordable price point.