Samsung and Qualcomm have just entered into a multi-year partnership that will see the smartphone maker Galaxy ramp up its use of Snapdragon processors, backing up a rumor claiming that the Galaxy S23 will use almost entirely Snapdragon chips.
In a press release this week, Qualcomm announced a “broad strategic partnership” with Samsung that includes a seven-year extension of the patent licensing agreement between the two companies.
Qualcomm Incorporated and Samsung have agreed to extend their patent licensing agreement for 3G, 4G and 5G networks and upcoming 6G mobile technology until the end of 2030.
What is key to this new deal is that it will see Samsung use Snapdragon chips in more Galaxy smartphones. Samsung is already using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Galaxy S22 series, and is set to use the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 — reservations for these phones are now open ahead of the August 10 reveal.
But Samsung has also been known for using Exynos processors in other regions. Snapdragon chips are usually in place in regions like the US, South Korea and select other locations, but many parts of Europe and Asia often end up with Samsung’s Exynos chips.
These chips are usually comparable in initial performance, but optimization and other issues are all very common. In fact, Samsung fans created a petition in 2020 to try to convince the company to stop using “inferior” Exynos chips due to overheating and performance issues. At the time, Samsung said its Exynos chips undergo the same “rigorous and rigorous” testing as Snapdragon chips.
But now, it seems that Samsung is planning to expand the use of Snapdragon chips in future Galaxy smartphones, possibly starting with the Galaxy S23 series. In a Qualcomm press release, the company said that Samsung agreed to “expand its collaboration with Snapdragon platforms for Samsung Galaxy premium products in the future.”
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon hinted at Samsung’s plans, and focused on ours:
Our relationship with Samsung has never been stronger. For more than two decades, we have worked together to lead the industry and are pleased to continue this strategic partnership to develop innovative technologies and products Using Snapdragon platforms to power more premium Samsung devices globally.
On a Qualcomm Q3 earnings call (via Motley FoolAmon also said he expects “much better” use of Snapdragon chips on the “Galaxy S23 and later,” compared to Qualcomm which supplies nearly 75% of chips for the Galaxy S22 series.
What does this mean for Exynos going forward? It’s still not clear, but perhaps the biggest change is Samsung’s plans to create a dedicated chip for its flagship Galaxy smartphones. This chip was expected over the next few years, but this new partnership makes it seem as though such a chip might not arrive in this decade.
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