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Samsung is said to be planning changes for its 2026 flagship Galaxy S-series by swapping the regular and Plus models for the Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge. While specifics are still unclear, new updates have emerged regarding the processors these devices might utilize. According to a report, both could be equipped with the not-yet-released 2nm Exynos 2600 SoC. This shift is thought to be a response to the increasing costs Samsung faces for chips. A report from South Korea indicates that Samsung's chip procurement expenses for its DX sector rose to 29.2 percent, reaching KRW 7.78 trillion (about Rs. 48,700 lakh crore) in the first half of 2025, compared to KRW 6.27 trillion (approximately Rs. 39,250 lakh crore) in the same period the previous year.

During this timeframe, the portion of mobile application processors among all raw material purchases reportedly increased from 17.1 percent to 19.9 percent. This rise is believed to have boosted costs for the company as it continues to buy chips from Qualcomm rather than using those made in its own Foundry and LSI divisions, especially for flagship models. It’s important to note that all the devices in the new Samsung Galaxy S25 series are powered by Qualcomm's top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. Additionally, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 will also feature the same processor. Moreover, the report indicates that TSMC, Qualcomm's chip manufacturer, has been steadily increasing its prices. To lower expenses, Samsung's MX division is reportedly considering using its own Exynos SoC. Furthermore, Samsung has just finalized a partnership with Elon Musk's Tesla to create chips for its electric vehicles. According to the report, this collaboration showed successful yield and stability in the 2nm process. If this agreement yields positive results, it is likely that the upcoming Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge could utilize the Exynos 2600 SoC, which is also anticipated to be manufactured using a 2nm process.

This could assist Samsung in reducing expenses while achieving high performance due to its next-generation flagship SoC. However, the premium Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may still rely on a Qualcomm chip, likely the yet-to-be-announced Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.