55%
Plausible
This year is the last time that we’ll ever witness the launch of any flagship 3nm chipset, because companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek are expected to gravitate to TSMC’s next-generation 2nm process. The Taiwanese semiconductor giant has been reported to have begun mass production, while also investing in three additional facilities to ramp up manufacturing and meet demand.
Apple is said to have secured more than half of TSMC’s initial 2nm capacity, but the latest rumor claims that MediaTek and Qualcomm will unveil their SoCs alongside their competitor in the same month. As for how this will be possible, the tipster states that the production cycle of the 2nm node is longer than TSMC’s 3nm, and the finalization of each chipset will likely be completed earlier.
Apple’s A20, A20 Pro, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 could launch in September, according to rumor
Qualcomm and MediaTek have been rumored to transition to TSMC’s improved 2nm ‘N2P’ process instead of the ‘N2’ variant to gain an edge over Apple, but according to Smart Chip Insider, all three companies will utilize the same manufacturing process while also unveiling their next-generation SoCs in September. For those unfamiliar, the A20 and A20 Pro are expected to arrive next year for the iPhone 18 series and iPhone Fold, with Qualcomm unveiling not one, but two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 versions that will be separated by the ‘Pro’ moniker.
As for MediaTek, it is reported to announce a single Dimensity 9600 because it appears to be undecided about pursuing a dual-chipset launch strategy similar to Apple and Qualcomm. Fortunately, the Taiwanese fabless semiconductor manufacturer has a head start over its competitors because it announced earlier this year that it successfully achieved the tape-out of its first 2nm chipset, with its launch happening in 2026. Given that the finalization of each SoC will occur earlier, TSMC’s 2nm production cycle will be longer than its 3nm process.
In this manner, all three firms can showcase their respective technologies a little earlier, which only means that flagship smartphones powered by chipsets from Qualcomm and MediaTek will launch around the same time. Apple will be a little more stringent with its iPhone 18 family, with the lineup likely available for pre-order a week after its inception. According to this rumor, if all SoCs are unveiled by September, none of them will have a head start, so their optimization needs to be crisp in both performance and power efficiency.
News Source: Smart Chip Insider
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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