"Return after 2 years?"… Samsung's 'Exynos 2600' rumored to be featured in the Galaxy S26.
Samsung's own application processor (AP), 'Exynos', is making a comeback. After being excluded from flagship smartphones for two consecutive years, Exynos is expected to be featured in the next-generation 'Galaxy S26,' raising industry interest in whether Samsung can regain its AP competitiveness. According to the IT industry on the 2nd, recent information leakster @Jukanlosrev shared on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "Exynos 2600 will definitely make a return and will be used in the Galaxy S26." However, he also added that "the chip shipment will be very limited, and it may end up being similar to the Exynos 990 situation." Samsung Electronics had initially planned to include the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy S25 series released earlier this year, but due to low yield rates in Samsung Foundry's 3-nanometer (nm) process, the company ultimately adopted Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset entirely. As a result, the Exynos 2500 was excluded from the flagship market, and the performance of the System LSI division reportedly declined. However, there is now a possibility that the Exynos 2600, produced using the next-generation 2-nanometer process (SF2), will be introduced. The Exynos 2600 is designed based on the 2-nanometer process using third-generation Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology. Compared to the existing 3-nanometer process (SF3), it is said to offer a 12% performance improvement, a 25% increase in power efficiency, and a 5% reduction in area. An industry insider explained, "In early tests in February, the yield rate for Samsung Foundry’s 2-nanometer process was about 30%, which was higher than expected." However, they added, "For mass production, a yield rate of at least 60-70% is needed, so there is still a long way to go." In response, Samsung Electronics is said to have formed a special task force (TF) to improve the yield rate of the Exynos 2600. ◆Yield as a variable… possibility of a 'dual strategy' with Exynos and Snapdragon. Industry experts suggest that if the yield of the Exynos 2600 remains limited, Samsung Electronics may adopt a 'regional AP dual strategy,' similar to the approach used during the Exynos 990 era. In fact, when the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 series were released, Samsung equipped the U.S., China, and Canada with Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, while other regions received the Exynos 990. Park Hyun-jung, an analyst at Daishin Securities, stated, "Even if the Exynos 2600 overcomes its yield issues, it is unlikely to be used in all models." She further analyzed, "It is highly likely that the 'Snapdragon 8 Elite 2' chipset will be used in the Galaxy S26 Ultra model and in markets like Korea, North America, and China, while the 'Exynos 2600' will be used in markets like Europe and India." ◆Can Exynos make a full comeback?… Market response is in 'cautious mode'. Exynos has received mixed evaluations in the market, with the processor being adopted and excluded repeatedly in the Galaxy S series. In particular, the Exynos 990 was heavily criticized for performance and heat issues, while the Exynos 2500 was excluded from the Galaxy S25 due to low yield rates, leading to a decline in the performance of the System LSI division. The industry sees the potential for Exynos 2600 to be a crucial turning point for Samsung's AP competitiveness if it can be successfully applied in some models. However, there are still many concerns about challenges that need to be addressed. One expert stated, "If the yield improvement is slower than expected or if the performance does not meet expectations, Samsung's recovery in the AP business could become even more difficult." He further added, "The success of the Exynos 2600 will be a crucial test that will determine the direction of Samsung's semiconductor business." ChatGPT를 사용하여 번역한 기사입니다.
