The rumor mill is buzzing! It seems Samsung's already gearing up for the Galaxy S26, and from what I'm hearing, it might not be a Snapdragon-only affair. The latest whispers suggest Samsung has begun mass production of the Exynos 2600 chipset.

According to reports, Samsung's semiconductor division has hit a major milestone. They've not only started production earlier than expected, but they've also significantly improved the wafer yield. This means more chips are coming out usable, which is a big deal. The Exynos 2600 is rumored to be the first 2nm chip from Samsung's factories.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing for Samsung's chip-making division. The delay of the Exynos 2500 forced them to scrap an Exynos-powered Galaxy S25. The chip found a new home in the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which is great, but I can imagine it wasn't the original plan.

Besides the new 2nm process, it's also said that Samsung might include a "heat pass block" to tackle the heat issues that Exynos chips have sometimes struggled with. If they can pull this off, it could be a game-changer for the Exynos reputation.

Of course, Samsung isn't putting all its eggs in one basket. They'll continue using a dual-chip strategy. Word on the street is that the standard Galaxy S26 — possibly the S26 Pro — will have the Exynos chip, while other models will stick with Qualcomm's Snapdragon. It's a strategy I think it's smart, as it lets them cater to different markets and optimize performance.

If what I'm hearing is true, only the standard Galaxy S26 Pro will pack an Exynos 2600 chip. The other phones will continue to use Snapdragon.