US chip giant Qualcomm Technologies has reaffirmed South Korea’s pivotal role as a global hub for technological innovation and emphasized its longstanding partnership with Samsung Electronics, outlining its vision for the Korean market.
During a press briefing held in Seoul on Friday, the company highlighted Korea as a key market where technological leadership significantly influences consumer perception and adoption.
Kim Sang-pyo, president of Qualcomm Korea, stated that 61 percent of Korean consumers consider Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon mobile chipset platform as the gold standard for high-end mobile experiences, underscoring the country’s influence in shaping premium technology benchmarks.
“Korea is a market where technological leadership matters,” he said. “We will continue to build more intelligent and personalized experiences through a connected ecosystem across devices.”
Qualcomm emphasized its deep-rooted collaboration with Korea spanning over three decades, starting with the world’s first commercialization of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology in 1996. This partnership has evolved through pivotal advancements in telecommunications, including LTE-Advanced and 5G, with Samsung remaining a crucial partner throughout each generation.
Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets at Qualcomm Technologies, noted that Korea and Samsung have played a central role in Qualcomm’s technological milestones, from the first nationwide CDMA deployment three decades ago to the commercialization of LTE-Advanced and 5G. He further added that Korea’s unique engineering culture and spirit of innovation closely align with Qualcomm’s core values.
Last month, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, co-developed with Samsung. This chipset is featured in Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26 smartphone series, with the Ultra model utilizing it globally and the S26 and S26 Plus models in select markets. This platform is the result of Qualcomm’s collaborative efforts with Samsung across essential technologies, encompassing CPU, GPU, and AI.
Patrick confirmed the continuation of this strong partnership. “Samsung is a leader in the Android ecosystem, and Qualcomm is a core technology provider,” he said. “In Korea, where consumers readily embrace new technologies, we will continue to jointly deliver cutting-edge experiences.”
Regarding foundry cooperation, Qualcomm stated its collaboration with diverse partners throughout the semiconductor supply chain, integrating various technologies to optimize performance, cost-effectiveness, and capacity, but refrained from providing specific details about its engagement with Samsung.
yeeun
