Qualcomm Developing Two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 Variants Codenamed ‘Kaanapali,’ ‘Kaanapali S’ in Trial Production with Samsung’s 2nm GAA Technology

Recent reports indicate that Samsung faced a setback with the acquisition of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 orders from Qualcomm, as these upcoming flagship chipsets are expected to be exclusively produced using TSMC’s advanced 3nm ‘N3P’ process. However, there could be a silver lining for Samsung in its efforts to catch up with its foundry competitor. It appears that one variant of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, dubbed ‘Kaanapali S, ’ may utilize Samsung’s innovative 2nm GAA technology. A new report suggests that trial production of this chipset is currently underway, and as Samsung improves its production yields, Qualcomm’s vision of dual-sourcing may soon become a reality.

Projected Mass Production Timeline for Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 on Samsung’s 2nm GAA Process

Samsung has expressed confidence in stabilizing its 2nm GAA yields during its Q1 2025 earnings call, announcing plans to start fulfilling orders in the latter part of 2025. The company has reportedly begun prototype mass production of its Exynos 2600 chip, with goals to enhance its yields to 50% in the near future. This progress is significant enough that it may be capturing Qualcomm’s attention, as they explore the practical applications of Samsung’s 2nm GAA technology. Insights from Business Post, conveyed by tipster @Jukanlosreve on X, outline that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 will be available in two different versions.

The standard version of the chipset is being produced using TSMC’s 3nm N3P node, while the alternative version is expected to leverage Samsung’s 2nm GAA process. Notably, yields for this variant have reportedly exceeded 40% recently. This specific version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is likely to be exclusive to the forthcoming Galaxy S26 series and is currently undergoing trial production. If Samsung successfully completes this process, mass production is anticipated to commence in the second half of 2025, with full-scale manufacturing expected to kick off in Q1 2026. Although there are no current estimates on monthly wafer output from Samsung’s foundry, projections suggest a substantial increase by year’s end based on existing advancements.

On another front, TSMC began accepting orders for its 2nm technology as of April 1. Although TSMC is presently ahead in the competitive landscape of advanced lithography, Samsung may yet deliver a significant response by launching its first product utilizing the same manufacturing process. The upcoming stages will be crucial for Samsung as it aims to leverage every resource at its disposal to close the market share gap with its rival TSMC.

News Source: Business Post

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