Apple and Qualcomm circle back to Samsung as chip and camera plans shift
Samsung is back in focus as Apple and Qualcomm explore new partnerships for chips and camera hardware. Improved 2 nanometer manufacturing and advanced camera sensors are driving fresh talks. The shift shows Samsung slowly regaining trust among top tech firms.
New Delhi: The global chip supply chain is quietly shifting again, and this time the spotlight is back on Samsung. After years of losing top clients to Taiwan’s TSMC, Samsung’s foundry arm appears to be regaining confidence from some of the biggest names in consumer tech. Two companies stand out in recent reports. Apple and Qualcomm.
Both firms had moved away from Samsung for critical components, mainly over yield and performance concerns. Now, fresh developments around advanced manufacturing and camera hardware suggest that Samsung is slowly finding its way back into their plans. The reasons are different, but the direction is the same.
Qualcomm’s renewed talks with Samsung foundry
For Qualcomm, the change is tied directly to chip manufacturing. Over the last few years, Qualcomm relied heavily on TSMC for its flagship Snapdragon processors. Samsung’s foundry struggled with yields, and Qualcomm chose stability over loyalty.
That balance may be shifting now.
According to reports from South Korea, Qualcomm is in active discussions with Samsung to manufacture a future Snapdragon chipset using Samsung’s second-generation 2 nanometer process, known as SF2P. The talks were confirmed publicly during CES 2026.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said, "Among various foundry companies, we started discussions with Samsung Electronics first on contract manufacturing using the latest 2nm process.”
Qualcomm has not named the exact chip, but industry watchers believe the talks point to the next Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platform. If that happens, it would mark a major return for Samsung as a manufacturing partner for Qualcomm’s most important products.
Samsung has already announced plans to mass-produce 2 nanometer chips ahead of rivals. The company is starting with its own Exynos 2600 processor, expected to power the Galaxy S26 lineup. Reports also suggest interest from Tesla, with AMD and Google said to be exploring options as well.
Apple’s camera future also points to Samsung
Apple’s relationship with Samsung is more complicated, but just as important. A note to investors from Morgan Stanley, spotted by AppleInsider, suggests that Apple will not introduce a 200 megapixel camera on the iPhone until 2028. If Apple keeps its naming pattern, that device would likely be called the iPhone 21.
This lines up with claims from tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, who says Apple is already testing a 200 megapixel camera sensor sourced from Samsung. The same tipster rules out a 200 megapixel sensor for the iPhone 18 lineup.
Instead, the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to feature
- A 48 megapixel main camera with a variable aperture
- A 48 megapixel periscope telephoto lens with a large aperture
Samsung is one of the few suppliers with real-world experience shipping 200 megapixel smartphone sensors at scale. That experience matters when Apple plans years ahead and wants tight control over quality.
The same report adds another layer. Apple is also exploring the use of a multispectral sensor in future iPhones. Testing has not started yet, as the technology is still under supply chain evaluation.
Unlike standard RGB sensors, multispectral sensors capture light beyond red, green, and blue. In simple terms, this could help with more accurate colours in tough lighting. Samsung’s deep sensor research puts it in a strong position if Apple decides to move forward.