Rumors have been circulating about Google’s switch from Samsung Foundry to TSMC for manufacturing the Tensor chipsets. However, according to the latest reports, the decision has indeed been made.
Based on an article from a South Korean source, BusinessKorea, the Pixel 9 series will have a Tensor 4 chipset manufactured by Samsung Foundry. However, the next iteration of the Pixel, the Pixel 10, will be produced by TSMC.
According to the report citing industry experts, Google has partnered with TSMC for its upcoming 3-nanometer chipset due to the primary concerns of poor yield and power efficiency.
According to the outlet, Samsung Electronics is placing a strong emphasis on managing power consumption and heat, but it is still exhibiting 10-20% lower performance in comparison to TSMC.
The performance and battery life of smartphones are directly affected by this. The increasing use of on-device AI services has led to a heightened emphasis on the power efficiency, heating, and battery performance of chipsets.
In addition to Google, it has been reported that Qualcomm has also transitioned to TSMC from Samsung for their upcoming top-of-the-line chipset – Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.
Three years ago, Samsung began mass production of a 3nm process. However, according to a new report, Google’s decision to switch is due to lower than expected yield rates – the number of units that can be produced.
According to a spokesperson from a leading global foundry company, as reported by BusinessKorea, heat problems in mobile chips can jeopardize the overall integrity of smartphones. TSMC’s chipsets are known for their superior power efficiency, which is why many brands continue to choose this Taiwanese foundry despite their recent 25% price increase for 3nm chips compared to 5nm chips.
According to a Korean publication, Google and Qualcomm’s departure from Samsung will further expand the divide between the top two foundries. It has been reported that major companies such as NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Apple have already outsourced their 3nm chips to TSMC.
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