Huawei is preparing to launch the Mate 20 series, which features the Kirin 980 SoC. This particular chip is a 7nm processor that has a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) on-board. As a matter of fact, this is Huawei’s second chip, after the Kirin 970 last year, to feature a dedicated NPU. The NPU chips that piggyback on the main processor deal with AI-related tasks, taking the load off of the main chip.

Samsung has designed an NPU, but has reportedly not been using it. Now, a recent rumor claims that its second generation NPU design will end up on the Galaxy S10 processor. We’re of course referring to the Exynos 9820 variant, as the Snapdragon 855 is expected to have a built-in NPU. The rumor comes from a Twitter leak with a screenshot of an alleged Samsung Senior Hardware Design Engineer. While the information is not verifiable, it claims that the person has. been working on the second generation NPU.

If the rumor is accurate, then the Galaxy S10 processor will indeed have an NPU. There’s no other info at the moment related to this. Samsung is expected to make some announcements early next year. Spring of 2019 is when the S10 is going to be likely unveiled. We might hear details about the Galaxy S10 processor prior to that.

Samsung may have completed its second-generation NPU architecture internally, which may be piggybacked on the Exynos 9820 processor. pic.twitter.com/kIUNZkQSRc

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 6, 2018