In the Pixel 6, Exynos replaces the Qualcomm modem chip

Robert Haba
Robert Haba
3 min read
In the Pixel 6, Exynos replaces the Qualcomm modem chip
Trust this source on Google
Add trusted source

Pixel 6 comes with Exynos modem

Google has a similar ecosystem to Apple. Its users can choose from a large choice of items to meet their various tech needs. The IT behemoth has kept evolving, producing new product after inventive product. It started as a search engine and has now moved into the smartphone market with its mid-range models.

Details about the Google Pixel 6 are scattered all over the web. According to the latest reports, for the upcoming Pixel 6, Google is ditching Snapdragon.

exynos

Exynos replaces Qualcomm’s modem chip

Google has used Qualcomm as the sole producer of not only its Snapdragon CPUs but also its modem chips, for all previous iterations of the Pixel series. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC and the Snapdragon Qualcomm X52 modem enable 5G connectivity on the Pixel 5.

The reliance on Qualcomm chips is unsurprising, given that the United States is one of Google’s largest client bases, and Qualcomm has had a rigid monopoly on wireless chip technology in the country for the past 20 years. Qualcomm modem chips have been used solely in all smartphones sold in the United States, a reality that has become even more apparent with the introduction of 5G.

Qualcomm has the greatest 5G networking technology out of the only three 5G modem chipmakers in the world, adopting a variation called Millimeter Wave (MMW), which can now harness the fastest speeds on 5G networks even carry out processes such as SMS Share swiftly.

After Qualcomm, MediaTek, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor business, and Samsung are the other two 5G-capable chip makers. One of Samsung’s newer Exynos 5G modems, the Exynos 5123, appears to have progressed far enough to interest Google’s attention.

With Samsung’s Exynos 5123, the Pixel 6 will be the first smartphone in the US to use a non-Qualcomm wireless modem, shattering Qualcomm’s stranglehold across the country. Additionally, this will be a new kind of triumph for Samsung, as it will be the first time its Exynos modem processor will be seen in a non-Samsung phone.

Collaboration between Google & Samsung

On the Pixel 6, the modem chip isn’t the only Samsung component we’ll see. On the contrary, the lengths to which Google has gone to incorporate Samsung’s technology into its current Pixel flagship has led some to speculate that the two tech titans are working together, though neither has confirmed this.

Apart from the modem, the Pixel 6’s display, camera, and processor will all be Samsung-made. Samsung’s main camera was confirmed to be either the GN1 or the more current GN2 ISOCELL sensor in some previously released code. The display is believed to have a 6.4-inch 90Hz AMOLED screen manufactured by Samsung. And the SoC, which will power the upcoming smartphone, will be the 5-nanometer Tensor chipset, which was built by Google but will be manufactured entirely by Samsung.

It seems that the two tech companies have joined forces for the Google Pixel 6. If that is indeed the case, we have high expectations for the device. We’ll have to wait for official statements from both companies to acknowledge these rumors.

Featured Deal
1 / 5
👑A good choice
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

4.8 / 5.0
$1,012.97$1,099.00-8%
Buy
Budget
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

4.5 / 5.0
$494.99$599.00-17%
Buy
DEAL!
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

5.0 / 5.0
$449.99$649.99-31%
Buy
💎Best Android Device
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

4.9 / 5.0
$1,212.85$1,499.99-19%
Buy
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

4.9 / 5.0
$289.99$349.99-17%
Buy
* As an Amazon Associate, Droid Tools earns from qualifying purchases. Disclosure.
Founder · Editor-in-Chief
Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.

Comments & Discussions

Join the conversation! We use Disqus to handle comments. Click the button below to load the comment section.

Keep Reading

WhatsApp is finally addressing one of the biggest gaps in its web client, as WhatsApp Web now supports audio and video calls. This requires no download or installation, since it’s built directly into WhatsApp Web, which has also picked up support for screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab showing full call history and […]

whatsapp web desktop
NewsRobert HabaJuly 29, 2026

Practically every streaming service not named Netflix has turned to bundling over the past few years, with competitors teaming up to deliver combo packs like Disney+ and HBO Max. No service has been bundled quite as often as Peacock, though, and YouTube Premium subscribers are now joining the long list of ways to gain access […]

peacock youtube premium
NewsRobert HabaJuly 27, 2026

The invites for Google’s Pixel event just landed, and the leaks have already laid out a stacked rundown of the Google Pixel 11 and Tensor G6. Tech forums have already made up their minds. Going by the leaks, the G6 looks like a regression. The G6 comes up short on CPU cores, and its graphics […]

google tensor g6 image
NewsRobert HabaJuly 27, 2026

Google is set to unveil the Pixel 11 family on August 12, and just ahead of that event, the company’s VP of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, has confirmed what many were expecting: prices are going up across the lineup. Google Confirms Pixel Price Adjustments Barkat explained that, like other consumer tech companies, Google is […]

Google Pixel 11
NewsRobert HabaJuly 26, 2026