Samsung’s 2 nm breakthrough could help Qualcomm finally beat Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro chip

Samsung may finally be catching up with TSMC as the top dogs battle for supremacy in the next round of the silicon war. Reports from New Daily suggest the phone maker has finally cracked the 2nm version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.

Samsung has reportedly dispatched samples to Qualcomm for testing. If the latter gives approval, the Korean electronics giant could swap out TSMC’s current 3 nm N3P node in its upcoming flagship chips. The chances of Qualcomm giving its blessing are decent, given reports that Samsung may have found a fix for the yield and thermal issues that bedevilled earlier Qualcomm nodes.

If everything goes smoothly for Samsung with the 2nm chipset, the company may have found its response to the A19 Pro silicon powering the iPhone 17 Pro. Galaxy fans could expect the chip to appear in the Galaxy Z Flip 8 as early as July 2026.

The benefits of a 2nm Snapdragon for consumers include faster speeds, less heat dissipation, and better battery life. All these will enhance the appeal and practicality of compact foldables such as the Galaxy Z Flip 8.

However, for Samsung, bringing chip-making in-house will improve vertical hardware integration and reduce costs, though it will still pay Qualcomm a licensing fee.