Samsung secures Snapdragon processor supply for Galaxy devices via 7-year deal with Qualcomm that covers 6G modems

It looks like the Galaxy S22 Ultra may be the last high-end Samsung phone that is powered by two brands of mobile processors - Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and Samsung's own Exynos 2200 chipset. During its Q2 quarterly results press conference, Qualcomm hinted that it may be the exclusive supplier of the Galaxy S23 line's processing power indeed. Last we heard from credible Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on the matter, Samsung's upcoming Exynos 2300 chipset was struggling to match Qualcomm's X70 5G modem specifications, especially in terms of its power efficiency as it is optimized for TSMC's 4nm node:

Snapdragon X70 5G Modem-RF System introduces the new, advanced Qualcomm 5G PowerSave Gen 3 technology suite, combined with a 4 nm baseband process a tightly integrated modem-RF system, delivering superior power efficiency and all-day battery life.

Hence, Samsung allegedly decided that it better go all in on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for the Galaxy S23 series, in order to gain access to its superior 5G modem and stop with the regional Exynos processor fragmentation policy it's maintained for a while. This rumor seems to be all but confirmed by Qualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon now, who mentioned during the Q2 earnings call that "we were 75% on Galaxy S22 before the agreement. You should be thinking about we're going to be much better than that on Galaxy S23 and beyond."

The agreement that he talks about here is an extension of the multiyear processor supply deal that Qualcomm had with Samsung for another 7 years, and will be running until 2030. Not only does the extension cover Samsung's future handsets like the Galaxy S23, but Qualcomm's CEO also said that its Snapdragon processors and modems will find their way in Samsung's portfolio "beyond Galaxy smartphones to include Galaxy books, Windows PCs, Galaxy tablets, future extended reality devices and other devices."

In addition, the multiyear Samsung-Qualcomm tie-up includes any next-generation wireless connectivity standards that may arise in the meantime. "The [Samsung deal] extension encompasses 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies and devices and will also include future 6G standards and products," informed Mr. Amon, paving the way for Qualcomm's potentially exclusive 6G modem presence in Samsung devices when the final standard specifications are agreed upon a few years from now.

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