Big Shift: Samsung Ditches Exynos for the Galaxy A18 4G and 5G

Is Samsung Ditching Exynos for the Upcoming Galaxy A18?

If you’ve been tracking Samsung’s budget-friendly A-series lineup, you know the Galaxy A17 offered a distinct split: the 4G model relied on MediaTek’s Helio G99, while the 5G variant packed Samsung’s own Exynos 1330. But, it looks like the upcoming Galaxy A18 might shake things up significantly.

According to a recent report from ZDNet Korea, Samsung is planning a strategic shift for the A18. Rumors suggest that neither the 4G nor the 5G version will feature an Exynos chipset. Instead, the company is reportedly looking to MediaTek for the 4G model and Qualcomm to power the 5G iteration. While the specific chip names are still under wraps, the industry consensus points to a cost-cutting measure behind this major pivot.

The previous generation Samsung Galaxy A17 5G might be the last of its kind to feature in-house silicon.

Staggered Release and Production Plans

The report also outlines a clear production roadmap. Samsung is expected to prioritize the 4G model, with mass production kicking off as early as August. The numbers look pretty aggressive, too—Samsung is reportedly eyeing 100,000 units in August, ramping up to 2.4 million in September and 2.5 million by October. Naturally, these numbers are subject to change based on how the market reacts once these handsets hit the shelves.

As for the 5G model, its production timeline is reportedly tied to Qualcomm’s availability, suggesting we might see a gap of several months between the release of the 4G and 5G variants.

What We Know So Far

While official specs remain scarce, eagle-eyed observers have already spotted test firmware for the Galaxy A18 4G (model number SM-A185F) on Samsung’s European servers. This confirms that development is well underway, even if the South Korean tech giant is keeping the finer hardware details tightly under wraps for now.

Stay tuned—as we get closer to that August production window, we expect more leaks to surface regarding these mid-range contenders.