The chip wars are heating up again. According to fresh supply chain reports, Samsung is working hard to regain Qualcomm’s trust by offering samples of processors built on its advanced 2nm GAA process. If successful, this could mark a major comeback for Samsung in the high-stakes foundry business.
Why This Matters
Samsung and Qualcomm have a long history together, with Samsung once handling a big share of Qualcomm’s flagship chip production. But back in 2021, things changed. Qualcomm moved most of its orders to TSMC, citing issues with Samsung’s 4nm process at the time. Since then, TSMC has become the go-to foundry for Qualcomm’s most powerful Snapdragon chips.
Samsung’s 2nm Push
Fast forward to today, and Samsung has been investing heavily in 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) technology. Reports suggest the company has made big strides, with yield rates — essentially, how many usable chips they can produce per batch — improving significantly.
The 2nm process is now said to be entering large-scale verification, with mass production planned for the second half of 2025. If Samsung can prove it’s ready for commercial scale, it could once again challenge TSMC for Qualcomm’s premium chip business.
A Dual Snapdragon Strategy?
Adding an interesting twist, industry rumors hint at a possible dual-version Snapdragon chip strategy. In this scenario, Qualcomm’s next flagship SoC could be manufactured by both TSMC and Samsung.
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The TSMC version would continue as the mainstream option.
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The Samsung-made version might be produced for select customers — possibly including Samsung’s own Galaxy flagships.
If this happens, it could set a new industry trend where the same flagship processor exists in multiple versions depending on which foundry built it.
