Samsung revives Exynos in Galaxy S26 as comeback strategy intensifies
Samsung Electronics has long been under scrutiny for its smartphone application processor (AP), the Exynos. Once seen as a “sore spot,” the Exynos is now being closely watched for its potential to make a comeback. As the core component of a smartphone, the AP functions as the device’s “brain.” Two years ago, the Exynos in the Galaxy S24 faced criticism for excessive heat generation and poor power efficiency. However, Samsung recently reintroduced the Exynos in the Galaxy S26, unveiled on the 25th (local time).
Can the ‘Exynos Cruel History’ Be Broken?
For Samsung Electronics, the Exynos represents more than just a semiconductor chip—it symbolizes the company’s pursuit of technological independence. Samsung has consistently invested in developing Exynos to create chips tailored for its smartphones. The Exynos is designed by Samsung’s LSI Business Division and manufactured by its Foundry Division, showcasing the competitiveness of its non-memory sectors.
Despite these efforts, Samsung has encountered repeated challenges with the Exynos, leading it to rely heavily on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon as its primary AP. When the Exynos 2200 in the Galaxy S22 series sparked controversy over heat and performance issues, the S23 series exclusively used Snapdragon. The Galaxy S24 series adopted the Exynos 2400 for standard and Plus models, but problems with the Exynos 2500 forced a return to Snapdragon for the S25 series. This marked a period where Samsung struggled to use its own chips in flagship phones.
There are growing expectations both inside and outside Samsung that the ‘Exynos 2600’ in the S26 standard and Plus models will be different. The Exynos 2600 is the first product to apply Samsung’s 2-nanometer process. According to Samsung, the new chip improves central processing unit (CPU) computational performance by 39% and generative AI performance by 113% compared to its predecessor, while reducing heat generation by 30%. Benchmarks reportedly show the Exynos 2600 outperforming Qualcomm’s product in the Galaxy S26 Ultra model in three categories: classification, object detection, and natural language.
If the Exynos 2600 receives positive evaluations, it could significantly boost Samsung’s divisional performance. With rising memory semiconductor prices increasing smartphone production costs, expanding in-house chip adoption could reduce external AP procurement.
CEO Roh Tae-moon: ‘Galaxy AI to Reach 800 Million Units’
At a press briefing on the 25th, Samsung Electronics DX Division Head and CEO Roh Tae-moon also praised the Exynos. “The AP for flagship phones is always selected through comprehensive discussions with partners to provide the optimal solution,” he said. “This time, the Exynos sufficiently met expectations and goals, so we applied it.”
The Galaxy S26 has received praise from major foreign media since its unveiling. The Wall Street Journal called the “privacy display” feature, which darkens the screen when viewed from the side, “a must-have for all smartphones” and urged Apple to adopt similar physical security technology.
“Samsung Galaxy smartphones have led display innovations,” Roh said. “We judged that a feature combining 100% perfect picture quality with privacy protection was necessary.” He added, “We equipped 400 million Galaxy devices with AI features until last year” and “will expand this to twice that level this year.” Samsung also announced plans to collaborate with Google to introduce an AI operating system (OS) that deeply integrates AI into the smartphone system. Instead of limiting AI features to specific apps, the OS will apply them seamlessly across all apps and services.
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