Qualcomm is reportedly in talks with Samsung Electronics about contract manufacturing of next-generation 2nm chips, discussions that could support Samsung's efforts to revive its loss-making foundry business.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said the US chip designer is discussing production using Samsung's latest 2nm process, with design work already completed for commercialization in the near future, according to comments cited by Reuters from the Korea Economic Daily.
Qualcomm was not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours. Samsung Electronics said it does not comment on specific customers.
CES comments and current talks
Amon made the remarks during an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026 in Las Vegas. He said Qualcomm was the first among several chip design companies to open discussions with Samsung on outsourcing production using its 2nm process, according to Hankyung.
The comments marked the first time Qualcomm has publicly acknowledged plans to consider Samsung Foundry for manufacturing advanced application processors using a 2nm node.
Qualcomm's foundry history
If a contract is finalized, Samsung would resume production of Qualcomm's most advanced chips for the first time since 2022. Qualcomm relied on Samsung Foundry for leading-edge application processor production until 2021, before shifting those orders to TSMC after Samsung struggled to meet requirements related to yields and thermal performance.
Industry sources said Qualcomm is reassessing Samsung as a manufacturing partner after concluding that the company has resolved many of its long-standing issues involving yields and heat management.
Samsung's foundry business has been operating at a loss, but company executives have said recent supply agreements with major customers have improved its outlook. Samsung co-CEO and head of the chip division Jun Young-hyun said last week that recent deals had left the foundry unit primed for a significant improvement.
In July 2025, Samsung signed a US$16.5 billion agreement to manufacture next-generation artificial intelligence chips for Tesla. Hankyung reported that Qualcomm may also be considering a strategy to diversify future chip production beyond a single foundry partner.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon speaks during a keynote at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. Credit Cristiano Amon
Article edited by Jerry Chen
