55%
Plausible
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro are expected to be exclusively mass produced on TSMC’s 2nm ‘N2P’ process, making it yet another year where Qualcomm and Samsung cannot come to terms on becoming partners. To be fair, it’s not the San Diego firm’s fault, as a new report states that even the Korean giant’s 2nm GAA node is running into stability issues, to the point that the technology cannot reach the desired benchmark. These limitations have apparently created a rift between the two companies, preventing them from forming a long-term foundry business.
With the 2nm GAA yields at 60 percent, Qualcomm’s benchmark of 70 percent isn’t an impossible goal for Samsung, but can it be achieved?
For months now, we’ve reported that Samsung’s 2nm GAA yields haven’t surpassed the 60 percent mark, even though this particular figure has been reported about several times. According to Business Korea, this is the one area that keeps Qualcomm from becoming Samsung’s partner because past rumors have suggested that the company was looking forward to a dual-sourcing partnership. The drawback with sticking to TSMC is that while Qualcomm will be guaranteed timely chipset shipments, it will have to pay a significant premium.
Wafers mass produced on the 2nm process don’t come cheap, which easily explains why Qualcomm and MediaTek have previously been rumored to be considering shifting production to Samsung’s foundry. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as one makes it seem because next-generation chipsets have already been finalized, or at the very least, taped out by the current foundry, which is TSMC.
It’s likely that those reports wanted to target a broader South Korean tech industry narrative, which is why Samsung’s name may have been painted in a more positive light. With the 2nm GAA yields at 60 percent, Samsung has a few months to scale past this obstacle, which may seem challenging. However, if TSMC’s trial production yields for the 2nm process were 60 percent, we don’t see why Samsung would experience difficulties.
After all, its second-generation 2nm GAA node is expected to be utilized for the Exynos 2700 later this year, meaning that, with a little more effort, it can grab Qualcomm as a future customer and fulfill that dual-sourcing strategy.
News Source: Business Korea
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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