Samsung previously manufactured flagship Snapdragon chips for Qualcomm, but performance issues led Qualcomm to shift production to TSMC. However, over the past year, reports have suggested that Samsung Foundry could once again secure orders for flagship Snapdragon chips. Now, it appears Qualcomm may be close to choosing Samsung for its next-generation high-end processors.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon reportedly arrived in South Korea today to hold meetings with Samsung Foundry and SK Hynix. A key focus of his visit is strengthening cooperation with Samsung Foundry.

According to reports, Qualcomm and Samsung Foundry are discussing plans to manufacture the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip using Samsung’s 2nm process, known as SF2.

If the deal is finalized, it would mark Qualcomm’s return to Samsung Foundry after a gap of around five years. The move is believed to be driven by improvements in Samsung’s process technology, particularly in addressing previous issues related to heat and yield. Qualcomm may also be looking to reduce its reliance on TSMC, as wafer prices at the Taiwanese foundry continue to rise.

Reports also suggest that Amon did not meet Samsung MX head TM Roh during the visit, despite Samsung being one of Qualcomm’s largest customers for Snapdragon smartphone chips. The two companies have, however, continued to collaborate on other products, including the Snapdragon Wear Elite for smartwatches and the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 for AR and VR headsets.

Amon will reportedly discuss HBM and SOCAMM memory supply with SK Hynix as Qualcomm prepares for the mass production of the AI200 AI accelerator.