Samsung Exynos 2700 May Drop WLP Packaging to Cut Costs

According to semiconductor industry sources, Samsung Electronics is preparing to introduce a new packaging strategy for its next-generation mobile application processor, the Exynos 2700, marking a notable shift from the design approach used in recent generations.

Reports indicate that Samsung is considering moving away from the Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging (FO-WLP) technology that has been used since the Exynos 2400. While WLP has been valued for its ability to improve thermal performance, the company is now reassessing its long-term adoption due to rising manufacturing complexity and cost pressure.

Wafer Level Packaging is a process in which electrical connections and molding are completed at the wafer stage before the chips are diced. Because it allows the package to closely match the original chip size, it is widely used in compact mobile devices where space efficiency is critical.

Earlier Exynos generations prior to the Exynos 2200 adopted a different approach, stacking the application processor die with DRAM on a printed circuit board (PCB). With the introduction of the Exynos 2400, Samsung transitioned to WLP, leveraging its advantage of integrating the chip on a silicon wafer substrate rather than a PCB, which significantly improves heat dissipation. At the time, Samsung reported that WLP could reduce thermal resistance by up to 16%.

Building on this thermal advantage, the recently mass-produced Exynos 2600 continues to use WLP and further incorporates an additional thermal enhancement technology known as Heat Pass Block (HPB). This solution embeds a copper-based heat spreading structure within the package-on-package (PoP) architecture, improving heat transfer between the processor and stacked DRAM. The Exynos 2600 is expected to be used in Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series launched earlier this year.

However, industry observers suggest that Samsung may reconsider the use of WLP in the Exynos 2700. Although WLP has demonstrated clear benefits in performance and thermal management for flagship mobile processors, its increasing structural complexity and lower manufacturing yield have raised concerns over profitability.

One industry insider noted that while thermal improvements are evident, the cost burden and yield risks of advanced packaging have become significant challenges. For products with limited shipment scale—such as Exynos chips used primarily in select in-house mobile models—these cost pressures are more difficult to offset.

Strategically, the Exynos lineup remains important for Samsung as it strengthens its negotiating position against major mobile AP competitors such as Qualcomm and helps manage overall procurement costs. According to Samsung’s annual report, mobile application processor-related purchases reached 13.8272 trillion KRW last year, up approximately 26.5% from 10.9326 trillion KRW in the previous year.