Published in PC Hardware

Samsung to benefit from Apple hoarding

by on16 May 2023


3nm processing wars

Samsung’s bottom line might get a boost from the fruity cargo-cult Apple’s decision to stick all its 3nm processing in TMSC’s basket.

Samsung Foundry and TSMC are the only companies in the world capable of making chips using advanced fabrication processes. While Samsung Foundry started the production of semiconductor chips using its first-generation 3nm GAA process in the second half of 2022, TSMC has just begun making 3nm chips for Apple.

But Jobs’ Mob opted to book almost all of TSMC’s 3nm production capacity, even if this was “newer” and hoovered up the company’s ability to provide for anyone else.

The result is that Samsung could collect every other company that wants 3nm advanced chips.

According to DigiTimes, Apple has booked almost 90 per cent of TSM’s total 3nm chip production capacity for 2023. This production capacity will be used to manufacture Apple’s A17 Bionic for iPhones and M3 series chips for iPad Pros and Macs. So, the other brands like Qualcomm and MediaTek could either fight for the remaining 10 per cent capacity or turn to Samsung Foundry.

AMD and Google have already signed up to use Samsung Foundry to produce their 4nm chips.

Qualcomm sells a lot more high-end chips than MediaTek, it might need much more production capacity for its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and use Samsung Foundry’s improved 4nm or second-generation 3nm fabrication process.

However, it remains to be seen if Samsung, which has been lagging behind TSMC in semiconductor chip manufacturing efficiency, is up to the task of taking on the important role that all these chip makers want. Some experts expect Samsung to close the gap this year with its 3nm GAA process, as it uses a newer transistor design that offers a major bump in power efficiency and density.

If Samsung improves the yield by the end of this year, it could gain a lot in terms of business from clients like Qualcomm, AMD, Google, and others and draw business away from TSMC.

 

Last modified on 16 May 2023
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