Samsung's latest flagship phones swapped Snapdragon chips for the firm's own Exynos units, but reports suggest Qualcomm is back in the frame for the Galaxy S7, according to Digital Spy.

Reuters' usually reliable sources have claimed that the next-generation handset will run off a Snapdragon 820 processor, but only in certain countries.

Exynos components will apparently power the device outside of the U.S. and China.

Previous reports suggest that the Galaxy S7 will also include 4GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front snapper, and an iris scanner.

One of the most prevalent rumours about the handset concerns its release date, with multiple sourcing tipping it to launch in late February.

With the 2016 Mobile World Congress scheduled to take place between February 22 and 25, Samsung could use the event as a platform to debut its new phone.