It is not uncommon for companies like Samsung to kick off the development and testing of its next flagship series, meaning that the entire process likely commenced when the Galaxy S25 lineup was officially announced. On this occasion, a rumor claims that the prototype version of the Galaxy S26 Ultra features the same storage configurations as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the possibility that next year’s flagship arrives exclusively with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2.
Samsung’s Exynos 2600 test production on its 2nm GAA process saw improved yields but not sufficient enough to enter mass production for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Currently, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is being tested in the 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions, and luckily for the minute percentage of individuals who still daily drive the S-Pen, Samsung has not removed support for this accessory either. @PandaFlashPro has not commented on X if the Korean giant intends to bring back the features it removed from the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s stylus, but we will likely receive updates in the coming weeks. What could interest readers is that the prototype version of the Galaxy S26 Ultra was supposedly being tested with a Qualcomm chipset.
The rumor does not explicitly mention the name of this SoC, but it is probably the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. A while back, we reported that TSMC exclusively received orders for this chipset to be mass produced on its third-generation 3nm process, also known as ‘N3P,’ with Samsung losing out once again due to abysmal yields. While this might hint that the Galaxy S26 Ultra and possibly the remaining models will be treated to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, Samsung might have ace up its sleeve next year.
The foundry behemoth was earlier said to be testing its next-generation Exynos 2600, with the trial production said to be happening on the company’s 2nm GAA process, achieving a 30 percent yield. Keep in mind that this figure needs to reach at least 70 percent before it is viable for Samsung to commence mass production, but these results are significantly better than what the company experienced with its 3nm GAA technology.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Test Storage Variants remain the same as S25 Ultra.
S26 Ultra
256GB | 512GB | 1TBCurrent S-Pen Supports Still Exist.
Test Chipset "Currently Only Qualcomm (Unknown) Version"
— PandaFlash 𝕏 (@PandaFlashPro) March 4, 2025
In short, Samsung still has some time to increase its yields, but time is not on its side because it has around 10 months to achieve that goal. Assuming it does not make strides with its 2nm GAA node, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could exclusively launch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. Of course, it is important to treat this rumor with a pinch of salt, and we will be back with more updates.
News Source: @PandaFlashPro
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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