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Phone Arena
25 minutes ago
- Phone Arena
This is why your experience with the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be so much different than mine
Qualcomm's new flagship application processor (AP), the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, is expected to power the top-of-the-line Galaxy S26 Ultra when the phone is released in late January or early February next year. However, a fresh rumor reveals that two Galaxy S26 Ultra owners could have differing experiences with their phones depending on the foundry that produced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 application processor (AP) powering their units. It's a strange situation to think that the Galaxy S26 Ultra in my hand could run faster than the one in yours, and deliver better battery life even though the AP that both are using is the same. Without trying to sound repetitive, the difference would be in the foundry that manufactured the two chipsets and the process node employed by each. In plain English, Qualcomm is rumored to be using "dual-sourcing" for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, which means that some APs will be made by TSMC and some by Samsung Foundry. As of this moment, Qualcomm will dual-source the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 AP. | Image credit-Weibo Posting on Chinese social media site Weibo, tipster Digital Chat Station says that the Samsung-built version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 AP has not yet been cancelled. If true, at this moment, we are looking at two different variants of the chip. TSMC will build the chipset using its third-generation 3nm process node which is the same process TSMC will use to build the A19 APs for the upcoming iPhone 17 series. Samsung Foundry, on the other hand, will use its 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process node, which in theory would be technologically superior to TSMC's 3nm version of the chipset. That's because as the process node number drops, so does the size of the transistors employed. Smaller transistors mean an increase in transistor density, which typically measures the number of transistors in a die per square millimeter. This means that a chip carries more transistors in a given area. The transistor density figure is important because as that number rises, it usually means that a foundry can pack more transistors into a given space, which means that smaller transistors are being used. Smaller transistors use less power, switch states more quickly, and reduce the manufacturing cost per function. Samsung Foundry also has another advantage as its 2nm process node includes the use of GAA transistor architecture which results in the gate surrounding the channel on all four sides. This reduces current leaks and improves the drive current, which results in better-performing APs that use less power. The pricing of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is rumored not to be much higher than the price of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Part of that is due to Qualcomm's use of its 3nm process (albeit its third-generation version), and Samsung Foundry's involvement. This could be a big deal for the latter, which has a market share in the industry of only 7.7% compared to TSMC's 67.6% (both figures are Q1 2025 numbers). Also, it would be a positive sign that Samsung Foundry has been able to improve its awful yield figures and was able to hit its goal of 50%. Whatever happens with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, there is speculation that Qualcomm will copy Apple next year and offer two different versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3. With a much higher price expected to be charged by TSMC for its 2nm wafers, a pricier, more cutting-edge version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 made by TSMC could be used in more premium versions of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S27 series in 2027. The non-premium version of the AP would be made by Samsung Foundry using its 2nm process and would have lower CPU and GPU clock speeds and reduced cache. Samsung Foundry's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is rumored to have a model number of SM8850s and have the codename 'Kaanapali S'. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 "Pro" could have a model number of SM8950, with the "non-Pro" model carrying a number of SM8945. Will Qualcomm dual-source the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2? As soon as we have an update, we will let you know.
Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
Samsung's next Galaxy phones could bring more AI choices, in addition to Google's Gemini
Referential image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. | Image credit — PhoneArena Samsung is planning to bring more AI options to its upcoming Galaxy phones. Right now, the company uses Google's Gemini AI on devices like the Galaxy S25 and Z Fold devices, but that might change soon. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Samsung is talking to other AI companies — including OpenAI and Perplexity AI — about working together on future Won-Joon, who runs Samsung's mobile division, told Bloomberg that the company is in talks with several AI providers. His goal is to offer Galaxy users more choices. He explained that Samsung is open to using any AI agent, as long as it offers a strong experience. Samsung already uses Gemini for many features on its Galaxy devices, like Circle to Search and AI-powered editing tools. But as reported back in June, the company has been exploring ways to rely less on Google. That includes looking at outside partners like Perplexity AI, a company that blends AI chat answers with real-time web results. Samsung is reportedly close to investing in Perplexity, which could lead to deeper integration in upcoming Galaxy models. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. | Image credit — PhoneArena The Galaxy S26 is expected early next year and could be the first to showcase this expanded AI strategy. Samsung may also be considering OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — as another possible partner. This would be a big move and would follow Apple's recent decision to let users choose between AI providers like ChatGPT and Gemini on iPhones. Beyond software, Samsung is also reviewing its hardware plans. The Galaxy S26 may feature either Qualcomm's next Snapdragon processor or the company's own Exynos 2600 chip. Samsung often uses both, depending on region and model. For example, its flagships might use only Snapdragon chips, while other models used a mix of the two. By working with multiple AI companies, Samsung hopes to offer a more flexible experience for users. It's part of a larger trend across the tech industry, where companies want to give people more control over which AI tools they use. That approach could make Samsung phones more appealing to people who want AI to feel more personal or transparent. Still, the challenge will be figuring out how these different AI systems work together on the same phone. Whether it's Google, OpenAI, or Perplexity, Samsung will need to make sure the overall experience stays smooth and easy to use.
Phone Arena
2 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Google Messages set to benefit as a new RCS upgrade boosts audio and security
The messaging experience on Android is about to improve again. The GSMA has officially announced Universal Profile 3.1, the latest version of the technical standard that powers RCS (Rich Communication Services). The update introduces a few new capabilities that will roll out gradually across apps and carriers that support the platform, including Google Messages (and hopefully Apple Messages at some point as well).The headline feature in Universal Profile 3.1 is the addition of the xHE-AAC audio codec, which supports better sound quality in shared audio content. This means voice messages, background sound clips, and other audio-based features sent through RCS will now have clearer and more natural playback. According to the GSMA, this enhancement benefits both speech and non-speech use cases, including AI chatbot interactions that rely on xHE-AAC codec is designed for efficient audio compression and decompression, which allows for improved quality without significantly increasing file size. It should also help ensure more consistent playback across different devices and network conditions. While it may take some time for apps and carriers to implement this update, it marks a noticeable upgrade in how Android users communicate via voice. RCS messaging use is exploding in the U.S. | Image credit — T-Mobile Beyond audio improvements, Universal Profile 3.1 also introduces technical changes aimed at streamlining how RCS connects to mobile networks. Specifically, the GSMA outlines "new mechanisms for connecting RCS clients to operator services," which should lead to a more reliable and seamless onboarding experience for users setting up RCS for the first time. However, the details of how this works behind the scenes haven't been shared in full yet. There are also a few smaller upgrades included in the update. These include better spam protection, more secure file transfers, and support for using deep links to start conversations from other apps or websites. All of these are expected to roll out in future versions of apps like Google Messages as they adopt the 3.1 standard. We've been following the evolution of RCS closely, especially as it plays a larger role in Android's messaging ecosystem. With this update, the standard becomes even more competitive against services like iMessage and WhatsApp, particularly when it comes to voice communication. While RCS still depends on carrier and device support, updates like Universal Profile 3.1 show that it's steadily evolving into a richer, more capable messaging platform. Switch to Total Wireless and buy 2 months of a 5G Unlimited plan to score the phone free! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
