What happens? Samsung will reportedly use its new in-house Exynos 2600 chip in the upcoming Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, but only in select markets, not worldwide.
- According to IT Home, the Exynos 2600 is reportedly only planned for Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus devices sold in Korea.
- US buyers are expected to get a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, continuing Samsung’s pattern of using Qualcomm chips in key markets.
Samsung’s push to restore trust in Exynos
Analysts say Exynos is still known for overheating, inconsistent performance, low production yield and past security flaws, which led many buyers to prefer Snapdragon models. However, Samsung seems to be fighting back with fixes like the following:
- A new Heat Pass Block cooling layer, which is essentially a heatsink integrated into the chip package, helping to reduce temperatures by up to 30%
- An improved 2nm production that reportedly increases yields to around 50%, which is a significant improvement compared to 3nm production.
- Samsung also continues to rely on FOWLP (Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging) to optimize performance.
Why is Exynos 2600 limited to Korea?
Even as confidence in the Exynos 2600 grows, Samsung’s broader rollout may be held back by commercial agreements, not technical limitations. Samsung is believed to have a long-term deal with Qualcomm that will see 75% of its Galaxy S series phones powered by Snapdragon chips. This leaves Samsung with little scope to rely on its in-house processor. This leaves the new chip mostly packaged in Korea, while most buyers worldwide end up opting for the Qualcomm version.
Okay, what’s next?
Previous rumors suggested a possible delay in the launch of the Galaxy S26, but newer reports now suggest that the range is on track to launch in late January 2026. So when the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup finally hits the market, most buyers won’t have to choose between chips at all because the decision has already been made for them.
