Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon confirms discussions with Samsung Foundry for potential 2nm chip manufacturing, signaling a possible return after previous thermal and yield issues.
Qualcomm is considering a significant shift in its chip manufacturing strategy, with CEO Cristiano Amon revealing ongoing talks with Samsung Foundry to produce its next-generation 2nm processors. This potential partnership marks a notable reversal from Qualcomm's current reliance on TSMC, which began after Samsung's 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips faced widespread criticism for overheating and subpar yields in 2022.
According to industry sources familiar with the negotiations, Qualcomm has completed the architectural design for its 2nm chips and is preparing for production readiness. While Samsung has officially declined to comment on the discussions, internal documents indicate the Korean conglomerate is aggressively pursuing this contract as part of broader efforts to revitalize its foundry division.
Samsung Foundry's potential comeback comes after several challenging years. The division recently secured a major contract with Tesla to produce chips for AI applications in vehicles, demonstrating improved technical capabilities. Samsung's chip division leadership is under explicit mandate to return the foundry business to profitability, with the Qualcomm negotiations representing a critical milestone in that effort.
The shift to 2nm technology represents more than just a manufacturing change. Compared to current 3nm and 4nm nodes, 2nm fabrication enables approximately 25% better power efficiency and 15% performance gains at equivalent clock speeds. For smartphone users, this could translate to longer battery life and cooler operation during intensive tasks like gaming or video editing. The smaller transistor size also allows for more complex AI processing cores within the same physical footprint.
Industry analysts note that Qualcomm's dual-sourcing strategy could reshape mobile processor dynamics. By potentially splitting production between Samsung and TSMC, Qualcomm would gain manufacturing redundancy while negotiating better pricing terms. This approach mirrors Apple's chip strategy and could lead to differentiated chip variants across device tiers.
The specific Qualcomm chips destined for Samsung's 2nm process remain unconfirmed, though speculation centers on either the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 or specialized AI processors. Samsung's updated fabrication facilities reportedly incorporate improved thermal management techniques and EUV lithography refinements that directly address previous yield issues.
As semiconductor manufacturing enters the sub-3nm era, this potential partnership highlights how rapidly foundry capabilities evolve. With Samsung demonstrating renewed competitiveness through deals like the Tesla partnership, and Qualcomm seeking diversified production, the mobile chip landscape appears poised for significant reconfiguration in 2026-2027.
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