Every year, the tech world plays a familiar game of speculation regarding the heart of Samsung's next flagship: the processor. The tug-of-war between Samsung's in-house Exynos chips and Qualcomm's powerhouse Snapdragon series has become a pre-release ritual, with the company frequently shifting its strategy. After a year of near-total Qualcomm dominance with the Galaxy S25, new evidence suggests a return to a dual-chipset approach for the upcoming Galaxy S26 family, and the roadmap is becoming surprisingly clear.
A History of Chipset Switcheroos
Samsung has a well-documented history of prototyping and testing various chipset configurations. This was evident in the lead-up to the Galaxy S25, where the company was widely reported to be prototyping models with the Exynos 2500, only to ultimately reserve it for devices like the Galaxy Z Flip7 (curr. $1,099 on Amazon). This left the entire Galaxy S25 lineup powered by Qualcomm, a move that was celebrated by many performance-focused fans.
However, the pendulum appears to be swinging back. Recent rumors have pointed to Samsung diversifying its chipset suppliers for the Galaxy S26 series, moving away from a Snapdragon-only portfolio. Earlier reports suggested a scenario where only the top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra would feature the next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the standard S26 and S26 Plus would be powered by the rumored Exynos 2600.
This strategy aligns with hints from Qualcomm itself. During its recent Q4 Fiscal 2025 Earnings Conference Call, the chipmaker acknowledged that major partners like Samsung and Xiaomi are increasingly leaning toward in-house solutions for certain models.
Qualcomm's CEO Lays Out the New Baseline
The most concrete insight yet comes straight from the top. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, during the same earnings call, provided a candid look at the evolving relationship with the world's largest smartphone maker.
Amon stated:
*“Second part is our relationship with Samsung. We have said for a number of years... what used to be a normal relationship at a 50% share, the new baseline is about 75% share. And that is always going to be our financial assumption. When we out-execute, sometimes we get more than 75%. On Galaxy S25, we got 100%. Our assumption for any new Galaxy is always going to be 75%. That's our assumption for Galaxy S26.”*
This admission is significant. It confirms that Qualcomm itself operates under the assumption that it will power approximately three-quarters of Samsung's flagship models, treating the Galaxy S25's 100% share as an exception rather than the rule.
The Exynos 2600's Specific Role is Coming into Focus
But what does that 75% figure look like in practice? A new report from South Korea's ET News has expanded upon Amon's comments, providing a detailed regional breakdown. According to their sources, the chipset split for the Galaxy S26 series will mirror the strategy used for the popular Galaxy S24 lineup.
The report indicates that the majority of the series, including the entire batch of Galaxy S26 Ultra models and the standard and Plus models in key regions like North America, will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
However, the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus are slated to launch in Europe and South Korea with the new Exynos 2600 chipset. ET News estimates that this configuration will account for roughly 30% of the total Galaxy S26 series sales volume, a figure slightly higher than the 25% Qualcomm is using for its financial planning.
This regional split is a classic Samsung move, allowing it to leverage its own semiconductor division in specific markets while relying on Qualcomm's proven performance in others. The success of this strategy will hinge heavily on the performance and efficiency of the Exynos 2600, which is expected to be built on an advanced 3nm or improved 4nm process.
The Grand Unveiling Awaits
Regardless of the chipset under the hood, Samsung is expected to follow its usual launch cadence. Industry watchers predict that the company will unveil the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra simultaneously at a dedicated Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026, in San Francisco.
As the launch date approaches, more details will inevitably surface. But for now, the message is clear: the great Exynos vs. Snapdragon debate is set to reignite with the Galaxy S26, marking a strategic return to a dual-chipset future for Samsung's flagship line.