Samsung's Exynos 2800 chipset may handle more AI tasks exclusively for upcoming Galaxy S smartphones.

      Your Galaxy flagship may receive new software, but not all AI upgrades will be included.

      Major smartphone companies are striving to transform phones into autonomous AI assistants capable of doing more than just responding to inquiries. Google provided a clear vision of this future during its recent Android event, and Samsung is also advancing in this direction with Galaxy AI. A recent leak hints that Samsung may be planning a hardware upgrade that would enable future Galaxy phones to execute more AI tasks directly.

      This sounds promising in theory. Increased on-device AI could lead to quicker responses, enhanced privacy, and a reduction in features relying on cloud connectivity. However, there is also a potential drawback. If Samsung links its next set of AI tools to newer Exynos hardware, some of these features may remain exclusive to future models like the Galaxy S28 series, leaving recent flagships with a diluted version of the same software experience.

      What might Samsung be developing for Exynos?

      A tipster, Jukan, on X claims Samsung is working on a hardware-level improvement named Multi Stacked FOWLP that could enhance how upcoming Exynos chips manage AI tasks. Essentially, it merges Samsung's vertical memory stacking approach with fan-out wafer-level packaging, potentially bringing memory closer to the main chip and facilitating faster data transfer between the two.

      On-device AI functions require swift processing of large data sets. Improved memory access could enable features such as image editing, live translation, summaries, and assistant-like actions to operate more seamlessly without heavy dependence on cloud services.

      This upgrade may debut as early as the Exynos 2800, though the Exynos 2900 is also a possibility. With the Galaxy S27 series slated to use the Exynos 2700 in certain markets, we are likely looking at the Galaxy S28 or S29 series featuring this high-bandwidth memory setup.

      Could older Galaxy models be left out again?

      Enhanced on-device AI hardware provides Samsung a technical rationale to restrict certain features to newer Galaxy devices. Some functionalities might actually require faster memory or improved AI processing to function effectively, while others could simply be utilized to differentiate the latest flagships from models that are just one or two years old.

      Samsung has already indicated this trend with the recent One UI 8.5 update. While Galaxy S25 users received the update, several expected features for the Galaxy S26 were omitted.

      If Samsung pursues this approach, Galaxy AI could serve as a major incentive for customers to upgrade sooner than anticipated. Although prolonged software support may keep older flagships secure and functional, it might not ensure access to every significant feature that future Galaxy models will offer.