On-Device AI Silicon: Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek NPUs — 2026-10-18
Qualcomm’s new dual-flagship Snapdragon strategy and Samsung’s reported decision to drop its Exynos 2700 for the Galaxy S27 Ultra highlight a pivotal shift in the mobile AI silicon race, driven by memory shortages and the demand for on-device large language models. Meanwhile, the AI PC market is expanding rapidly, with AI-advanced PCs projected to surpass 50% of global shipments in 2026, although overall PC shipments face headwinds from memory constraints.
On-Device AI Silicon: Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek NPUs — 2026-10-18
Top developments
Qualcomm’s Dual-Flagship Chip Strategy Expands AI Smartphone Options
On October 14, 2026, reports highlighted Qualcomm’s strategic move to offer dual flagship chips, specifically the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, to broaden premium phone options and enhance next-gen AI capabilities. This strategy aims to empower AI features, boost graphics, and enable 8K video in upcoming Android devices. The move is significant as it positions Qualcomm to capture a wider segment of the premium market by providing differentiated performance tiers for on-device AI processing.
Samsung Switches to Qualcomm Snapdragon for Galaxy S27 Ultra
On October 15, 2026, Korean media reported that Samsung has decided to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset exclusively for the upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra, abandoning its plan to deploy its own Exynos 2700 processor. This decision is attributed to severe memory shortages and inventory pressures, which have impacted the company's ability to supply its own APs efficiently. The shift underscores the intense pressure on supply chains and the critical importance of stable, high-performance NPU capabilities for flagship AI features, potentially impacting Samsung's long-term semiconductor strategy.
AI PCs to Surpass Half of Global Shipments in 2026
Recent data indicates that AI-advanced PC penetration is projected to climb 52% year-over-year to reach approximately 59% of global shipments in 2026, up sharply from about 39% in 2025. This growth is driven by the mainstreaming of NPU-powered laptops, which are becoming essential for local AI workloads. Despite this surge in AI-specific devices, the broader PC market faces challenges, with IDC forecasting an 11.3% decline in global PC shipments for the full year of 2026 due to persistent memory shortages.
Mobile Chipset Market Driven by On-Device AI Demand
The mobile chipset market is forecast to grow through 2035, primarily driven by the adoption of on-device AI, which increases NPU content and premium platform demand across smartphones and edge devices. Key trends include the migration of flagship chipsets to 3nm and 2nm process nodes, with NPU, image signal processor, and modem functions increasingly integrated into single SoC packages. This shift highlights the critical role of specialized silicon in enabling efficient inference and supporting the next generation of mobile AI applications.
Local view
Korean Press Highlights Samsung’s Strategic Pivot
Korean outlets such as Money Today (via Supple) and SPT Times Korea reported on October 15 and 16 that Samsung's decision to drop the Exynos 2700 for the Galaxy S27 Ultra is a direct response to the "memory supercycle" and associated cost pressures. Local analysts note that this move reflects a broader trend where set manufacturers are prioritizing supply chain stability and AI performance guarantees over internal component integration, potentially slowing the adoption of Samsung's proprietary AI silicon in flagship devices.
Chinese Media Focuses on AI PC Adoption and Memory Costs
Chinese tech media, including Huxiu and Smzdm, have focused on the impact of AI computing power driving storage capacity shortages, leading to multiple price hikes in the PC and smartphone industries this year. Reports from October 14-15 highlight that while AI PC sales are expected to reach 150 million units, many consumers are skeptical about the utility of "AI" features that remain dormant, emphasizing a gap between hardware capabilities and user experience.
Context & numbers
- AI PC Market Share: AI-advanced PCs are projected to account for ~59% of global shipments in 2026, up from ~39% in 2025.
- Global PC Shipments: IDC forecasts a 11.3% decline in global PC shipments for 2026, with potential year-over-year declines reaching 20% in Q4 due to memory shortages.
- GenAI Smartphone Share: GenAI-capable smartphones are forecast to reach 45% of global shipments in 2026, rising to 52% in 2027.
- Smartphone Market Contraction: The overall smartphone market is expected to contract by 14% in terms of units shipped in 2026, largely due to memory shortages.
On the radar
- NVIDIA RTX Spark Launch: The NVIDIA RTX Spark notebook, featuring 128GB unified memory and 6,144 CUDA cores, launched on October 16, 2026, aiming to compete with Apple Silicon in the Windows AI PC market.
- Qualcomm CEO’s 100B Parameter Goal: Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon reiterated that major AI firms are demanding chips capable of running 100-billion parameter models on smartphones by 2028, signaling the next frontier for NPU development.
- Apple Foldable iPhone Duo: Rumors persist regarding an Apple foldable iPhone Duo potentially launching in late October 2026, which would likely feature advanced on-device AI capabilities to differentiate it from competitors.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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