Arm Plans Up to 300% Fee Hike, Samsung Exynos Future Uncertain

According to reports from Sammobile, Arm is planning to impose a substantial increase in its licensing fees, with rates potentially rising by up to 300%. This move is expected to have a significant impact on the future development of Samsung's Exynos chips.

Samsung previously operated an in-house team dedicated to custom CPU core development. However, due to less-than-ideal performance and power efficiency, the company dissolved this department in November 2019, opting instead for Arm's standard designs.

Currently, Samsung is facing several challenges in its chip manufacturing division. The low yield rates of its 3nm process have hindered external orders and contributed to the decision to exclude the in-house Exynos 2500 from its upcoming Galaxy S25 flagship series, which will exclusively feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy.

Arm's decision to raise licensing fees could further complicate Samsung's plans for the Exynos lineup. Earlier reports suggested that Samsung intended to heavily integrate its improved Exynos 2600 chip into the Galaxy S26 series. However, this new development may force the company to reassess its strategy.

This situation highlights the growing challenges faced by chipmakers in balancing cost, performance, and market demands, with significant implications for the future of Samsung's semiconductor business.