Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 series is facing production hurdles, primarily due to challenges in chip development. Reports indicate that South Korea’s new workweek regulations are slowing progress on the Exynos 2500 chip.
Samsung’s initial plan was to incorporate the Exynos 2500 into all Galaxy S25 variants. Nevertheless, the company has shifted to utilizing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which implies that the Exynos 2500 may not reach the performance standards necessary for Samsung’s flagship device.
The newly enforced 52-hour workweek, which restricts overtime to 12 hours per week, is the reason for the delay in Exynos processor development, according to Samsung. According to Samsung, this restriction disrupts critical projects and confers a competitive disadvantage on its processors.
It has been reported that certain Samsung employees have worked overtime without compensation in order to meet deadlines. The company has even requested an exemption from the workweek law, citing concerns that the regulation could impact its global competitiveness.
The workweek is not a restriction that is exclusive to Samsung; it is a common practice in numerous organizations. TSMC, the most prominent semiconductor manufacturer in Taiwan, operates under a 48-hour workweek in its standard operating system. Other South Korean technology companies, including SK Hynix, adhered to the law; however, Samsung’s operations encompass the manufacturing of memory circuits, the provision of custom semiconductor designs to clients, and the provision of foundry services to other clients.
Samsung has specific restrictions on the number of hours it can work per week while investigating the organizational culture of work. In contrast, American companies such as Qualcomm or Apple have the flexibility to extend the number of hours worked if necessary. Companies with considerable financial resources may develop these processors as a result of their larger team.
For the Galaxy S25 and S25+ models, Samsung might still use the Exynos 2500 or MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 to keep costs in check, as the Snapdragon 8 Elite is more expensive.
