Global semiconductor company Qualcomm is expanding its collaboration with Samsung Electronics beyond smartphones, PCs, and home appliances to encompass next-generation industries, including robotics.

At the ‘Snapdragon Elite Media Day’ held on March 20 at the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Qualcomm unveiled the technological capabilities of its latest mobile platform, ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite 5th Gen’, and its strategy for the Korean market.

On this day, Qualcomm reaffirmed its partnership with Samsung Electronics. The most recent achievement of the collaboration between the two companies is Samsung Electronics’ latest flagship smartphone, the ‘Galaxy S26’ series. This series will be equipped with the ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite 5th Gen for Galaxy’, co-developed by Qualcomm and Samsung. The top-tier S26 Ultra model will feature it in all units worldwide, while the Plus and base models will have it applied selectively depending on the region. A key feature of this 5th generation platform is that it maximizes custom Central Processing Unit (CPU) design capabilities within the Android ecosystem and enhances Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) performance to reflect the specifics of the Korean market.

Chris Patrick, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Handsets at Qualcomm, stated, “It takes about three years to develop a single platform, and Qualcomm and Samsung are a ‘One Team’ that contemplates products three years from now together.” He emphasized, “It’s not a matter of each company developing and delivering chips separately; we are conducting organic co-design from the initial development stages across all areas, including CPU, GPU, AI, as well as displays and cameras.”

Qualcomm also highlighted its relationship with Samsung Electronics, which has spanned over 30 years. Starting with the world’s first 2G Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile phone in 1996, the collaboration between Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm has been present at every inflection point in communication technology, including the 4th Generation (4G) mobile communication Long-Term Evolution Advanced (Galaxy S4) in 2013 and the commercialization of 5G (Galaxy S20) in 2020.

Patrick stated, “Qualcomm has shared in innovation that spans the past, present, and future of Korea and Samsung Electronics.” He added, “Based on the trust built over the past 30 years, Samsung as the ‘Android leader’ and Qualcomm as the ‘semiconductor leader’ will continue to drive the mobile industry.”

The two companies are also set to continue their cooperation in the robotics industry. Qualcomm is currently exploring collaboration with major domestic companies, including Samsung Electronics, leveraging its recently launched custom robot processor, the ‘DragonWing IQ 10’ series. This development raises expectations for synergy between the two companies, especially as Samsung Electronics is ramping up its entry into the humanoid robot market through its subsidiary, Rainbow Robotics.

Source: Business Korea