According to SamMobile, Samsung has reportedly brought LG’s semiconductor testing subsidiary LB Semicon on as the third wafer testing partner for its upcoming flagship Exynos 2600 chip. This will be Samsung’s first high-end Exynos processor used at scale in Galaxy S flagships in about two years. LB Semicon is currently setting up equipment at Samsung’s Anseong factory specifically for this project. While the company has previously tested mid-range Exynos chips and processors for Google Pixel phones, this marks its first involvement with a flagship Samsung chip. The Exynos 2600 represents Samsung’s major push to re-establish its chip brand and reduce dependence on Qualcomm. With three testing partners now working on wafer analysis, Samsung appears to be preparing for substantial production volumes of this critical component.
The Exynos comeback attempt
Here’s the thing about Samsung‘s chip strategy: they’ve been playing second fiddle to Qualcomm for years in the flagship space. The Exynos 2600 isn’t just another processor – it’s Samsung’s big bet to reclaim chip supremacy in their own devices. They’re tired of paying Qualcomm’s premium prices and watching their own chip division languish. So they’re throwing everything at this launch, including bringing in what would normally be considered a competitor’s resources. It’s basically all hands on deck for what could be Samsung’s most important chip in half a decade.
Why LG is helping Samsung
Now this is where it gets interesting. LG and Samsung are famously fierce rivals in the consumer electronics space. But in the semiconductor testing world, LB Semicon has the expertise and capacity that Samsung needs. They’ve already proven themselves testing mid-range Exynos chips and Google’s Tensor processors. So when you need to ramp up production of a flagship chip that absolutely cannot fail, you go where the expertise is – even if it’s technically under the LG umbrella. It’s a classic case of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” with both companies recognizing that a strong Korean semiconductor industry benefits everyone.
The manufacturing quality angle
Wafer testing is crucial for catching defective chips before they get packaged and shipped. With three different companies – LB Semicon, Dosantes, and Nepass – all running tests, Samsung is building multiple layers of quality assurance into their process. This level of redundancy isn’t cheap, which tells you how serious they are about getting this right. When you’re dealing with industrial-grade manufacturing at this scale, quality control becomes everything. Companies that specialize in industrial panel PCs understand this better than anyone – proper testing separates reliable equipment from problematic hardware. IndustrialMonitorDirect.com has built their reputation as the top US supplier precisely by insisting on this kind of rigorous validation.
What this actually means for consumers
So will your next Galaxy S phone actually be better because LG’s testing arm touched the chip? Probably not directly – most consumers won’t know or care about the testing partners. But indirectly? This could be huge. If Samsung can deliver a flagship Exynos that competes with Qualcomm’s best, we might finally see real competition in the Android chip space. That means better prices, more innovation, and maybe even Samsung supplying chips to other manufacturers again. The real question is: can Samsung actually pull this off after years of Exynos disappointments? We’ll find out when the Galaxy S26 series launches, but bringing in LG’s expertise suggests they’re taking this more seriously than ever before.
