Samsung Electronics has made important progress in its chip division, successfully stabilizing the production yield of its much-anticipated Exynos 2500 chipset, which is built on the cutting-edge 3nm process.
Exynos 2500 in Premium Foldables
Even with these advancements, the Exynos 2500 won’t be included in the upcoming Galaxy S25 series. Instead, Samsung plans to use this potent SoC in its high-end foldable lineup, particularly in the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7 and possibly the Galaxy Z Flip FE models. Reports from Korea's Chosun Ilbo indicate that the Exynos 2500, developed by Samsung’s System LSI team and produced by Samsung Foundry, initially faced production issues due to low yield rates. These problems led to the choice of not including the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy S25 series, where performance expectations are especially high.
Strategic Move for Samsung
The performance gap between the Exynos 2500 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite also played a role in this decision, ensuring that Samsung keeps its flagship performance standards by continuing to use Snapdragon chips for the Galaxy S25. Instead, Samsung is focusing on revitalizing its in-house processor business by equipping the next-gen Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the expected Galaxy Z Flip FE with the Exynos 2500. This is a notable change, as earlier Galaxy Z Flip models only used Snapdragon chipsets.
With the more budget-friendly Exynos 2500 chip, Samsung might achieve a starting price point much lower than that of the current Z Flip models. This could be a big move towards making foldable smartphones more accessible to a broader audience.
Collaboration and Future Plans
The report also mentions that internal conflicts between Samsung’s Foundry and System LSI divisions regarding the production delays of the Exynos 2500 have reportedly been resolved, promoting improved teamwork and setting the stage for stable mass production expected in 2025. A senior Samsung official, who wished to remain unnamed, stated, “The 3nm second-generation GAA process has overcome significant challenges, and we are now ready to begin mass production. While supply limitations stop us from equipping the Galaxy S25 series with Exynos 2500, our premium Z Flip models will fully utilize its power.”
Looking forward, Samsung intends to launch the Galaxy S25 series in January next year, followed by the next foldable phones in the third quarter. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to have a sleeker design with a larger display, while the Galaxy Z Flip FE may provide a more affordable alternative without sacrificing performance.
Source: Link
