Who Makes Snapdragon Chips & Where Are They Built?

Samsung, Sony, and many Chinese brands rely on Snapdragon chipsets to power their Android devices. Even some portable computers now run on this central processing unit (CPU), with the launch of Snapdragon X-powered laptops like the Asus Zenbook A14 we reviewed. Statistics show that 25% of global smartphone application processor shipments in the third quarter of 2024 were Snapdragon — second only to MediaTek, which dominated the semiconductor industry with 35%. 

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However, even though Snapdragon is not the leading system-on-chip (SoC) brand in terms of volume shipped, it still has the upper hand when it comes to demand for use in premium devices. It’s no secret that Snapdragon chips are predominantly used in high-end or flagship devices because of their superior mobile performance, features, and compatibility with 5G technology, including 5G Advanced. But who is responsible for these powerful chips, and where are these micro-processing units used in smartphones and other digital devices produced?

Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm, an American semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company founded in 1985 and based in San Diego, California. What’s interesting here is that even though the Snapdragon line of processors is owned and designed by Qualcomm, it is not made by the same company. Qualcomm follows a fabless business model, so it relies on other entities, particularly specialized semiconductor foundries, to produce its microchips in the absence of its own processor-manufacturing facilities. The actual production or fabrication of the Snapdragon chips is handled by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Foundry.

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Qualcomm is at the forefront of the rapid development of digital tech products lately. Its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor is powering some highly anticipated Android phone releases in 2025. Additionally, its Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset is debuting with Samsung’s Project Moohan headset, one of the most exciting new tech products of the year. Given the many products that use its microchips, Qualcomm understandably has to undertake large-scale manufacturing of its chips. As a fabless corporation, though, all of Qualcomm’s production takes place at the manufacturing facilities of its partner semiconductor companies, TSMC and Samsung Foundry.

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In 2024, the annual capacity of TSMC and its subsidiaries surpassed 16 million 12-inch equivalent wafers. However, the figure only reflected production in its facilities in Taiwan, China, and Washington, USA. The Taiwanese semiconductor company has other plants in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. — specifically in Arizona, investing $165 billion in 2020 to build its first advanced U.S. semiconductor manufacturing site. Since TSMC handles orders from multiple clients aside from Qualcomm, its facilities do not solely produce Snapdragon chips. 

Similarly, Samsung Foundry, which has three production plants in South Korea and two in the U.S. — both in Texas — caters to other clients as well. Qualcomm and Samsung have a long history of collaboration, starting in 2005, although Samsung’s chip division had failed to secure orders for Snapdragon processors since 2022. As of April 2025, however, the two are in talks to revive that partnership.

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