Samsung unveils bold five-year plan to fabricate superior chips

Samsung has introduced a five-year plan to increase its manufacturing capability for superior chips by 2027. The timeline might assist the corporate regain floor from semiconductor big TSMC.

In its Tuesday press release, following an announcement on the annual Samsung Foundry Forum occasion, Samsung dedicated to increasing its manufacturing capability for superior nodes “by more than three times” by the 12 months 2027. The firm additionally plans to introduce a two-nanometer course of in 2025 and a 1.4nm course of by 2027.

The firm says it’s responding to “significant market growth in high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), 5/6G connectivity and automotive applications,” which has made “innovation in semiconductor process technology critical to the business success of foundry customers.”

“The technology development goal down to 1.4nm and foundry platforms specialized for each application, together with stable supply through consistent investment are all part of Samsung’s strategies to secure customers’ trust and support their success,” Si-young Choi, president and head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics, mentioned in an announcement. “Realizing every customer’s innovations with our partners has been at the core of our foundry service.”

Samsung didn’t, on this announcement, element concrete plans for particular chips that it plans to construct on this course of. That’s an vital reminder that we might not truly see 1.4nm merchandise in the marketplace within the 12 months 2027. That timeline will rely upon different variables, together with how rapidly Samsung’s clients truly undertake the brand new transistors. All Samsung is saying right here is that it will likely be able to take clients to a 1.4nm node at the moment.

Samsung’s chip arm is presently combating an uphill battle in a market closely dominated by TSMC. The agency beforehand counted Nvidia amongst its clients — the latest RTX 30 collection was based on its 8nm process — however Nvidia has ditched them in favor of TSMC’s 4nm course of for its high-end RTX 40 collection after Samsung reportedly skilled yield issues. Apple was additionally a Samsung buyer previous to the iPhone 6S, as 9to5Mac correctly points out, however Apple moved its enterprise to TSMC for the iPhone 7.

The M2 chips that energy latest MacBook fashions use TSMC’s “enhanced” 5nm expertise, whereas present rumors counsel that Apple’s first 3nm MacBooks gained’t hit cabinets till at the least 2023. Samsung’s new timeline means it might doubtlessly catch up by 2027, although how that can play out in observe stays to be seen.