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It's official: Android's best flagship chip is coming much earlier than expected

It's official: Android's best flagship chip is coming much earlier than expected

Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR Qualcomm has confirmed that the Snapdragon Summit will take place from September 23-25.
The company always uses this event to announce its next-generation flagship phone processor.
So we're expecting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 to be announced at this year's event.
Qualcomm usually announces its next-generation flagship Android phone processor at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii each year. We've previously heard murmurings about an earlier launch, and the company has now made it official.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon gave a keynote address at Computex 2025, and one of the presentation slides confirmed (h/t: Notebook Check) that the Snapdragon Summit would take place on September 23-25. Check out the screenshot below.
This means the summit is taking place much earlier than in previous years. The 2024 event took place from 21-23 October, while the 2023 event spanned 24-26 October.
This earlier reveal would allow smartphone manufacturers to launch their next-generation high-end phones sooner. The Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro were the first Snapdragon 8 Elite phones and launched on October 23. So don't be surprised if we see the first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 phones arriving in late September.
One big question is whether blockbuster flagships like the Galaxy S26 series and OnePlus 15 will launch earlier too. In any event, a previous leak points to the new chip offering a second-generation 3nm TSMC design, second-generation Oryon CPU cores, and an Adreno 840 GPU. The current Snapdragon 8 Elite tops many benchmarks, although we also encountered heating issues when stress-testing a few devices. So here's hoping that the next-generation chip doesn't run as hot.
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