The claim that Samsung will outsource production of 70 million smartphones “this year” is not verified for 2026. The figure comes from an April 2022 report about a plan to make 70 million Samsung phones through Chinese joint development manufacturers (JDMs) that year. A later report said pandemic-related disruption cut the expected 2022 total to about 50 million. Samsung has not publicly disclosed a comparable 2026 outsourcing target.
What the 70-million figure actually described
On April 26, 2022, The Elec reported that Samsung Electronics planned to produce 70 million smartphones through Chinese JDM partners in 2022. The report described an increase of about 20 million units over an existing plan of roughly 49 million.
The additional production was associated with the Galaxy A04 and A04s series. The report said Samsung had initially planned about 20.6 million units of those models for its own production, then moved them into the JDM plan. It also named the Galaxy A03, A03s, A03 Core and A22 5G among phones in the existing plan. These are model associations in a 2022 production plan, not evidence about current Galaxy A models.
The 70 million was a reported target, not an audited count of phones completed, shipped or sold. The Elec based its reporting on industry sources; it was not a Samsung disclosure.
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JDM, ODM and OEM are not interchangeable
“Outsourcing” can obscure how much work an outside manufacturer does. The Elec’s reporting describes JDM partners as taking substantial responsibility for development and production of lower-end phones, including design and component procurement, while Samsung supplies the brand. Samsung can still set requirements and retain approval, software, validation, quality and commercial responsibilities; the precise division can vary by product.
| Term | Typical role |
|---|---|
| OEM | Builds a product primarily to the brand’s design and specifications. |
| ODM | Designs and builds much of the product, which the brand sells under its own name. |
| JDM | Shares product development with the brand and takes a substantial role in production; the brand retains its identity and selected requirements. |
The labels describe different degrees of design and manufacturing responsibility, and reporting may use them differently. The 2022 figure specifically concerned JDM production, not simply final assembly by an unnamed factory.
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Why Samsung expanded JDM production
The reported rationale was cost reduction. Entry-level and mid-range phones compete in price-sensitive markets, where Samsung faces Chinese brands as well as pressure to defend margins across its lineup. Using partners for development, procurement and production can reduce the cost of designing and making lower-priced models and let Samsung reserve more of its own capacity for other products.
The approach has trade-offs. Greater reliance on partners can reduce direct control over design and sourcing, increase dependence on outside manufacturers, and expose production to supplier, logistics and geopolitical risks. The Elec also reported concerns that extensive JDM use could weaken Samsung’s purchasing leverage and affect its traditional supplier base. Lower manufacturing cost does not by itself establish lower product quality; that would require evidence about specific models.
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The 2022 target was later revised
In November 2022, The Elec reported that pandemic lockdown problems in China had led Samsung to reduce the expected 2022 JDM volume to approximately 50 million, rather than the 70 million originally planned. That later figure was also reported as an expectation or plan, not an audited final production result.
The same report put the planned JDM volume for 2023 at nearly 60 million—59.86 million in its account. A May 2024 The Elec report put Samsung’s planned JDM production at 67 million for 2024 and estimated that JDMs’ share had risen from below 7% in 2019 to about 25% in 2024. Those figures were industry-source reporting, not Samsung financial disclosures. Together, they describe a reported strategy over earlier years; they do not substantiate a 70-million target for 2026.
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What Samsung’s 2026 production data does—and does not—show
Samsung’s 1Q26 interim report disclosed 56.754 million units in the category “Smartphone, etc.” It also reported 83.5% capacity utilization for that category and listed major production locations in Korea, Vietnam, India and Brazil. The category is broader than a standalone smartphone count, and the disclosed production data does not break out phones made by external JDM or ODM partners.
TrendForce independently estimated Samsung’s smartphone production at about 62.6 million units in 1Q26. That is a market estimate with coverage and methodology that may differ from Samsung’s corporate reporting; it cannot be reconciled with Samsung’s figure by treating the difference as outsourced output. TrendForce’s June 2026 report also described pressure on global smartphone production from rising memory costs. Neither source establishes that Samsung will outsource 70 million finished phones during 2026.
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Component sourcing is not the same as outsourcing finished phones
Samsung’s supplier choices can change without a corresponding shift in who manufactures the complete phone. In March 2026, The Elec reported that Samsung’s mobile division ordered about 15 million OLED panels from China’s CSOT for mid- and low-end models, including the Galaxy A57 and Fan Edition models. The outlet said industry sources estimated CSOT panels were at least 20% cheaper than Samsung Display panels. That price comparison is an industry estimate, not a Samsung-confirmed figure, and the panel order is evidence of component sourcing—not a count of finished devices made by a contract manufacturer.
Samsung’s 2Q26 results acknowledged elevated component-cost pressure across the industry while reporting momentum for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy A series. This supports the broader point that cost and supplier choices remain relevant in 2026, but it does not disclose a JDM production total.
What this means for Galaxy buyers
A phone made with a JDM partner is still a Samsung-branded product; the production arrangement alone does not establish that it is inferior or that Samsung has no role in its design and support. For a buyer comparing particular phones, more practical checks are:
- Confirm the exact model number and regional version, since specifications and components can vary by market.
- Check that the device is intended for your country and supports your carrier’s bands and services.
- Verify warranty coverage and authorized service availability in the region where you will use the phone.
- For repair concerns, check parts and service information for the exact model rather than inferring repairability from its manufacturing partner.
Production totals can also mean different things: planned output, completed units, shipments or sales. They may count only final assembly or include broader development and production work, and some company categories include related devices. A figure should not be treated as an outsourcing total unless its scope and basis are clear.
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