After dropping the job of constructing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset to TSMC in 2022 due to its low yield price, Samsung Foundry improved its efficiency a lot that this previous April a report mentioned that Qualcomm was reportedly contemplating utilizing each TSMC and Samsung Foundry to dual-source the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC for subsequent yr. However in August, one tipster mentioned that every one Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 utility processors (AP) could be produced by Samsung Foundry utilizing its extra superior 3nm Gate All-Round (GAA) course of node.
Not like TSMC’s FinFET transistors used with its 3nm course of node, the GAA transistors utilized by Samsung embrace vertically positioned horizontal nanosheets that enable the gate to encompass the channel on all 4 sides (it is solely three sides with FinFET). This helps cut back present leakage and will increase the drive present leading to better-performing chips that do not devour as a lot power. TSMC will not be switching to GAA transistors till it begins producing chips at 2nm.
As we speak, now we have a brand new rumor to cross alongside. To recap, so far now we have heard that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC shall be dual-sourced. Then we heard that Samsung Foundry would get the job. Now, Taiwan’s Tech Information (through AndroidAuthority) says that TSMC will get the nod from Qualcomm to be the lone producer of its subsequent flagship AP, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. Supposedly, the chip shall be produced utilizing TSMC’s 3nm course of node.
Qualcomm remains to be interested by dual-sourcing its flagship AP however not till 2025
San Diego-based Qualcomm has a lot using on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset. Will probably be the primary to sport Qualcomm’s customized Oryon cores so that there are going to be loads of eyeballs Geekbench outcomes to see how the AP performs no matter which foundry the part is coming from.
For you dual-sourcing followers on the market (and we know that you just’re on the market…someplace), the excellent news is that Qualcomm hasn’t given up on having each TSMC and Samsung Foundry construct its flagship AP. Tech Information says that dual-sourcing has merely been pushed again to 2025 for the manufacturing of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 AP.
For those who’re questioning whether or not dual-sourcing has been used to supply chipsets for a significant smartphone earlier than, in 2015 Apple dual-sourced the A9 SoC from each TSMC and Samsung for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The chip was made by Samsung Foundry utilizing its 14 nm FinFET LPE course of and by TSMC on its 16 nm FinFET course of.
