Samsung is considering moving the unveiling of its Galaxy S26 lineup to create a more competitive position against Apple’s iPhone. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, set to be released in January, will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor in all markets.
An adapted version of this chip will also carry the “for Galaxy” label. According to insights shared by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 may debut in September, shifting from its usual October announcement.
This adjustment could be aimed at ensuring that MediaTek’s new Dimensity 9500 chipset does not overshadow Qualcomm’s offerings. The competition between MediaTek and Qualcomm is intensifying, especially since both companies plan to utilize TSMC’s advanced 3nm manufacturing process for their upcoming flagship processors.
Additionally, Samsung might be looking to initiate pre-orders for its flagship devices earlier. If Samsung decides to unveil the Galaxy S26 series in December 2025, it would create a rare scenario where both the Galaxy S25 and S26 series pre-orders occur within the same calendar year.
This strategy could also mitigate the time gap between the releases of Samsung’s and Apple’s flagship devices. Digital Chat Station also indicated that while the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 may be introduced in September, smartphones equipped with this processor could start arriving in stores as early as October.
The new chip is expected to boast upgraded cores, with maximum clock speeds reaching 5GHz, support for LPDDR6 RAM, and an enhanced Adreno 840 GPU. The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 will maintain a familiar core configuration with significant improvements in performance.
In summary, the Galaxy S26 series is poised for an exciting launch as Samsung strategizes to enhance its market position amid fierce competition.