Samsung might be considering a new hardware strategy for upcoming smartphones, including the Galaxy S22 FE and Galaxy S23 series. The Korean manufacturer might be looking to introduce MediaTek chips among its components to power the future devices, according to a report by Business Korea.
While Samsung’s original Galaxy S22 series has only been on the market for a few months, the brand is sure to already be considering plans for next year’s flagship series. The mid-tier Galaxy S22 FE could launch anywhere between the summer and early next year, depending on component availability.
This is where MediaTek might fit in. The brand has developed a significant global presence, with a 26.3 percent market share in 2021, according to Strategy Analytics. The component manufacturer is known for developing processors primarily for mid-to low-end smartphones in many regions. However, MediaTek introduced its first 5G flagship chip, the Dimensity 9000 in late 2021, which has been especially well-received across the mobile industry.
Sources told Business Korea the coming Galaxy S22 FE will likely feature the Dimensity 9000 chip when it becomes available. By that time the device is chip would be old enough to give the smartphone flagship components at an affordable premium price. Less is known about plans for the Galaxy S23 series SoCs; however, it is possible there could be up to three processor variants of the 2023 device family if Samsung decides to add a MediaTek chip. This chip would likely be a new successor 5G flagship processor that has yet to be announced.
Samsung typically splits its component range for its flagship devices between Exynos and Qualcomm chips. Exynos models typically go to markets including Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, while Qualcomm models typically go to North America and Europe.
Recently, Samsung has struggled to maintain the integrity of its Exynos brand SoC since benchmarks have discovered that the performance on the Exynos 2200 chip in the Galaxy S22 series devices had been throttled to appear better than usual. Overall, Exynos chips have been notorious for their low performance over the years. While Qualcomm’s chips are often favored among consumers, its most recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip is based on Samsung’s 4nm process node, and has also suffered from performance issues in this release cycle.
Samsung appears to still have plans for a flagship chip under its own Exynos brand for 2023, an industry insider told Business Korea. The chip is expected to use a 3nm process node and Gate All Around (GAA) design, which is expected to have a focus on performance and efficiency improvements. The sources speculate that the success of this chip could determine the future of the Exynos SoC brand, perhaps because Samsung already uses MediaTek chips on many mid-range and low-end devices in its lineup.
