Samsung just blew the doors open on its Galaxy S26 plans during its Q3 2025 earnings call. Daniel Araujo, VP of Samsung’s Mobile Experience Division, set the stage by promising the S26 lineup will “revolutionize the user experience with user-centric, next-gen AI, a second-generation custom AP, and stronger performance, including new camera sensors.”
In these two lines, the Samsung executive dropped the first official confirmation of three massive upgrades coming to Samsung’s next flagship.
A New Exynos Chip (and Snapdragon, Too)
Let’s break down Araujo’s corporate-speak. The mention of a “second-generation custom AP” (or application processor) is almost certainly the first official nod to the Exynos 2600. This chip is rumored to be Samsung’s first 2nm processor, which is expected to bring significant improvements in power and efficiency.
This doesn’t mean the Snapdragon chip is gone. Previous reports have strongly suggested that Samsung will stick to its dual-chip strategy, using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy to power the Galaxy S26 series in some regions (like North America).
According to one rumor, only the standard Galaxy S26 might get the Exynos chip, while the Plus and Ultra models get the Snapdragon. For now, we know at least one new Exynos is locked in.
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But Get Ready for a Price Hike
Perhaps the most important news for your wallet was buried at the end of the call. Samsung specifically noted that it anticipates price increases in key components, such as memory.
This strongly suggests the final price of the Galaxy S26 lineup could be higher than this year’s models. Samsung is basically warning us now that those new AI features and camera sensors won’t come for free.
More Foldables, Watches, and Earbuds
Araujo didn’t stop with the S26. He added that Samsung plans to continue innovating its foldable lineup, aiming to “provide new experiences to expand our customer base.” This confirms new versions of the Z Fold and Z Flip are a key part of the 2026 plan.
The company also plans to expand health-focused AI features in its Galaxy Watches and grow its TWS (true wireless) earbuds lineup with new products.
Looking ahead, Samsung says it is all-in on AI-powered smartphones and innovative form factors (read: foldables) for 2026. While sales dipped slightly in North America, the company’s overall performance improved, and it plans to use seasonal promotions to keep the momentum going.
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