[News] Qualcomm Reportedly Skips Samsung, Taps TSMC’s 4nm for Snapdragon 8s Gen 4

According to Liberty Times, citing Sammobile, Qualcomm is reported to launch a new premium 4nm chipset that will be positioned below its flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite in the lineup, tentatively named the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. As noted by the report, the chip reportedly will be manufactured using TSMC’s 4nm process, as Qualcomm has chosen to partner with the Taiwanese foundry giant over Samsung for its production.

The report suggests that the failure of Samsung’s 3nm process may have seriously undermined customer confidence. As a result, even though Samsung’s 4nm process has already been tested and validated, Qualcomm has reportedly opted once again to partner with TSMC for the production of this new chip.

As highlighted in the report, Samsung began mass production of its first-generation 4nm process, SF4E, as early as 2021. This process was used to manufacture the Exynos 2200, Google’s Tensor G3 chipset, and various other chips. Qualcomm also adopted the SF4E node for its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and several of its 5G modems.

Over the years, Samsung has continued to upgrade its 4nm process in an effort to stay on par with TSMC’s technology. A 2023 update brought Samsung’s 4nm yield rates up to the same level as TSMC’s, as the report indicates.

Moreover, the report notes that Samsung initiated mass production of its fourth-generation 4nm chips earlier this month, incorporating advanced 2.5D and 3D packaging technologies.

Samsung Foundry’s Ongoing Struggles

According to TrendForce, Samsung Foundry ranked second in the global top ten foundries for Q4 2024, with revenue falling 1.4% quarter-over-quarter to USD 3.26 billion, representing an 8.1% market share. Meanwhile, TSMC maintained a dominant lead with a 67% market share.

Samsung’s foundry business continues to face challenges. According to Wccftech, the company is prioritizing improvements in the yield rates of its 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) process, aiming not only to ensure a successful launch of its flagship SoC for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series but also to attract more customers to adopt this advanced node. Production of the Exynos 2600 is expected to begin in May, the report adds.

Read more

• 4Q24 Global Top 10 Foundries Set New Revenue Record, TSMC Leads in Advanced Process Nodes, Says TrendForce
• [News] Samsung Explores M&A to Drive Growth, Reaffirms Commitment to Foundry Business

(Photo credit: Qualcomm)