Qualcomm is reportedly continuing talks with Samsung over the production of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. It was previously stated that the two processors would be manufactured by TSMC. While Samsung’s yield rate for its 2 nm process has risen to approximately 55%, TSMC’s stands at 60% to 70%. Qualcomm reportedly wants approximately 70% as the minimum threshold for large-scale contract manufacturing, meaning Samsung has not yet secured the order. Samsung’s potential share of the order remains uncertain in talks focused on technical specifications, pricing and process optimization. If Qualcomm works with both manufacturers, the chips produced at different foundries will need to deliver similar results in power consumption, clock speeds and thermal behavior, while meeting strict quality and performance standards. Yield affects cost and capacity.
Why it matters
Qualcomm working with two manufacturers makes yield rates a direct determining factor in production capacity and cost management. The current yield gap between Samsung and TSMC affects how the orders will be divided and whether Samsung can meet the requirements for large-scale production. If production is split, Qualcomm’s main challenge will be keeping power consumption, clock speeds and thermal behavior similar across chips from different foundries. For this reason, the talks cover not only pricing but also quality and performance consistency within the same processor family. However, the absence of a concrete agreement and the fact that the reported information is not based on a verified source leave it unclear whether Samsung will receive an order and what its potential share might be.
Background
Samsung is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days, we have published 18 news stories mentioning the company; the most recent was dated September 14, 2026.