Google will faucet Samsung to produce the 5G modem for its subsequent flagship Pixel good cellphone, sources aware of the matter informed Reuters, signaling the primary win for the Korean agency in a US market dominated by Qualcomm Inc.
Earlier this month, Google disclosed that it has designed its personal processor chip to energy its new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro high-end telephones, ending its full reliance on Qualcomm, which is able to nonetheless provide chips for the lower-priced Pixel 5A.
Nikkei Asia earlier reported Samsung will manufacture the processor for Google, a unit of Alphabet. Two sources aware of the matter informed Reuters Samsung may even provide the 5G modem know-how.
Samsung’s transfer to supply Pixel’s modem know-how is essential as a result of the Korean agency is one in every of solely three firms on this planet able to making 5G modems that join units to wi-fi information networks. The others are Qualcomm, the market chief by a large margin, and Taiwan’s MediaTek.
Samsung extensively makes use of its Exynos modem know-how in its personal flagship smartphones in Asia and Europe. But it has lengthy relied on Qualcomm to supply modems for US variations.
That is partially as a result of Qualcomm has a know-how lead in a variant of 5G networking referred to as millimetre wave, which gives the quickest speeds accessible with the brand new networks. To date, all good telephones launched within the United States – together with Apple’s iPhone – have used Qualcomm chips to faucet millimetre wave networks.
Samsung informed Reuters its new modem know-how was able to millimetre wave networking, and Google mentioned its new telephones will help millimeter wave networks as earlier variations did, although neither firm would remark straight on whether or not they’re working collectively on the brand new Pixel.
Winning Google’s Pixel enterprise offers Samsung its first huge likelihood to point out off its chipmaking expertise to the broader cellphone trade, which has lengthy been cautious of shopping for a key part from a fierce rival, mentioned Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at TIRIAS Research. The Korean agency has by no means earlier than offered its 5G modem chip know-how to an outdoor firm.
Qualcomm in an announcement mentioned it retained its know-how lead as a result of its millimetre wave know-how relied on different chips along with the modem. “A modem is not enough to support millimetre wave in phones,” Qualcomm mentioned.
© Thomson Reuters 2021
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