Samsung Foundry seems to be unable to resolve its Exynos 2500 yield and performance issues. Originally intended for the Galaxy S25 series, the 3nm processor was later reassigned to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and then the Galaxy Z Flip FE. However, even that plan now seems uncertain, casting doubt on Samsung’s foundry capabilities and the Exynos 2500’s future.
Samsung may not use Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip FE
Exynos 2500 is Samsung’s first 3nm mobile processor. It developed the chip with the Galaxy S25 series in mind but poor yields and performance issues forced the company to look elsewhere — the new flagships run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. Meanwhile, Samsung continued working on the Exynos 2500, aiming to ship it with the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
However, the Korean firm later decided against it, as it didn’t want to risk losing sales. Samsung has been making foldable phones since 2019 and every single model so far has featured Qualcomm processors. Since the Flip lineup has always outsold the Fold, using an under-performing Exynos chip could cannibalize Flip 7 sales.
As a result, Samsung shifted its Exynos 2500 focus to the Galaxy Z Flip FE, an affordable clamshell foldable it is set to introduce later this year. It looked like a perfect plan, as using an in-house processor would also help the company lower the price. However, the latest developments suggest the smartphone division is skeptical about the Exynos 2500’s performance.
Samsung’s smartphone unit has reportedly yet to make a final call on whether it’d ship the Galaxy Z Flip FE with the Exynos 2500. “The production plans for the Exynos 2500 are changing frequently. It once seemed certain, but now the likelihood has slightly decreased,” the Korean media cited an industry source (via X/@Jukanlosreve).
A cloud of uncertainty
It’s unclear why Samsung’s smartphone division has doubts about the Exynos 2500. By the looks of it, the chip may have serious performance issues. Its foundry unit has been struggling with the yield and performance of its 2nm and 3nm process nodes. Thankfully, the Galaxy Z Flip FE may launch several months after the Galaxy Z Flip 7, so Samsung has time to evaluate the Exynos 2500’s viability.
In the meantime, Samsung is hard at work on the next-generation Exynos 2600, a 2nm processor. As you might expect, this chipset is being designed for the Galaxy S26 series. Time will tell whether Samsung can pull it off or if the Exynos 2600 ends up with the same fate as its predecessor.
