Samsung's Z Flip FE will debut Exynos 2500 as Galaxy S25 loses out on its silicon capacitors
Samsung's foundry was unable to apply its gate-all-around (GAA) process in time to secure enough yield for its next-gen Exynos 2500 processor to go into the Galaxy S25, but it is preparing for its mass production next year.
While some phone makers are giving up on clamshells due to low margins and overheating problems, Samsung will double down with both a cheaper, and a more expensive Flip versions in 2025.
A Samsung official said that they have stabilized the Exynos 2500 production process enough to be on the way to start producing phones with its next generation chipset in 2025. Those are apparently going to be in its foldable phone line, reports The Elec, just as previously rumored.
Next year, Samsung will release not the usual two, but three foldable phones just like this year. Two of those will be in the Galaxy Z Flip line, and one will be a Galaxy Z Fold. Allegedly, Samsung will launch a second, cheaper Galaxy Z Flip next year, along with a Z Flip 7 with a larger screen, and a Z Fold 7 resembling the Z Fold Special Edition that it just launched that also carries a larger display than the OG Z Fold 6.
While some phone makers are giving up on clamshells due to low margins and overheating problems, Samsung will double down with both a cheaper, and a more expensive Flip versions in 2025.
Galaxy Z Flip FE specs may include Exynos 2500
Dubbed tentatively the Galaxy Z Flip FE, the cheapest Samsung foldable is expected to start much lower than the $999 tag of its Z Flip 7 sibling. Both the Z Flip 7 and the Z Fold 7 are expected to be about 10% thinner than their predecessors, the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, too.
Since Samsung already developed the Z Fold Special Edition, it might as well use it as a base for the Z Fold 7 next year, what with the larger screen and the more elegant body. The Z Flip 7 will also have a bigger display, perhaps achieved by shrinking the bezels, which leaves the Z Flip FE to be something close to the fat Z Flip 6 in terms of design, but with a newer, faster processor.
The $100 apiece savings from using an Exynos instead of Snapdragon processor could very well bring a $799 starting price point for the Flip FE, which would be a record low for a handset in the Flip series, but Samsung intends to only test the waters with such a release. Again according to The Elec's industry sources, Samsung has given orders to suppliers for only 900,000 Galaxy Z Flip FE units, while it plans to produce no less than three million Z Flip 7 phones and two million Z Fold 7 units next year.
Since Samsung already developed the Z Fold Special Edition, it might as well use it as a base for the Z Fold 7 next year, what with the larger screen and the more elegant body. The Z Flip 7 will also have a bigger display, perhaps achieved by shrinking the bezels, which leaves the Z Flip FE to be something close to the fat Z Flip 6 in terms of design, but with a newer, faster processor.
Samsung has been rumored to put either its homebrew Exynos 2500 or MediaTek's flagship Dimensity 9400 in the S25 series to lower their cost compared to using the pricey Snapdragon 8 Elite (Gen 4) chip, but it couldn't secure enough yield, so it reportedly postponed these plans for its 2025 foldables like the Flip FE. According to one Samsung official who wanted to remain anonymous:
We will begin mass production of the Exynos 2500 next year. It will be difficult to install it in the Galaxy S25 because sufficient quantity has not been secured, but it will be possible for the 7th generation foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip FE, which are scheduled to be released in the second half of next year.
It is true that we had difficulties in mass production when we first applied the gate-all-around (GAA) process. We have put in a lot of effort to stabilize the process, so it is only a matter of time before we can move into mass production.
As the business went through difficulties, there were times when the two divisions were held accountable, but we agreed to work together to stabilize the business," he clarified, and the strategy has obviously worked to make Exynos 2500 a viable proposition to go into its phones next year.
Samsung official, December '24
The $100 apiece savings from using an Exynos instead of Snapdragon processor could very well bring a $799 starting price point for the Flip FE, which would be a record low for a handset in the Flip series, but Samsung intends to only test the waters with such a release. Again according to The Elec's industry sources, Samsung has given orders to suppliers for only 900,000 Galaxy Z Flip FE units, while it plans to produce no less than three million Z Flip 7 phones and two million Z Fold 7 units next year.
The 2025 Galaxy Z Flips will debut silicon capacitors
In addition, Samsung will reportedly introduce an interesting novelty with the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Dubbed silicon capacitors, they have been developed by Samsung Electro-Mechanics as a means to ensure high data transfer rate, memory capacity, and resistance to high temperature and pressure, making them particularly suitable for demanding applications.
Samsung can make the capacitors made of silicon wafers so small that, hailing from the micrometers scale, they can be as thin and tiny as the Exynos 2500 chip packaging material itself.
This has allowed Samsung to position them right next to the system chip itself so that they can increase the data transfer rate compared to the current solution in mobile chipsets. It remains to be seen to what extent will that benefit the Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy Z Flip 7, but the debut of an Exynos chipset in Samsung's foldable phone is shaping up to be more exciting than previously envisioned.
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