Samsung Foundry isn't doing too well with high-end processes, as, according to a new report, the Korean giant has delayed its 1.4nm project.
Samsung's 1.4nm Production Sees a Multi-Year Delay, But the Focus Has Now Been Shifted to a "Rapidly-Advancing" 2nm Node
When it comes to Samsung's chip foundry ambitions, the firm hasn't been able to deliver on expectations, given that the Korean giant has been reporting disappointing yield rates consistently for the past few processes. For example, the company's 3nm GAA node was the first to employ the GAA technique, yet its yield rates were insufficient for suitable mass production. Now, Samsung looks to re-group its foundry resources by focusing on the 2nm process specifically, as the firm is now said to be delaying the 1.4nm process to prioritize other ambitions, which means that the Korean giant is seeing "positive" signs with 2nm.
Samsung is said to have postponed plans to build 1.4nm production lines in Pyeongtaek 2, which were initially told to start as early as H2 2026, but now, it is unclear when Samsung could resume work on the process. Based on a report by Sedaily, Samsung's 1.4nm process could reach mass production by 2028, almost two years ahead of the original timeline, which shows that the foundry division isn't very optimistic about high-end nodes. However, it is claimed that this decision is part of a bigger "restructuring" plan, where Samsung Foundry will now focus on 2nm, where it has been seeing phenomenal progress.
Samsung Foundry isn't having a great time at all, since the division is said to be posting losses for several quarters now, and Samsung has decided to reduce investments into the division as well, so it is likely that Samsung's scope of the chip business will reduce drastically. On the other hand, Samsung plans to ramp up 2nm efforts, since it has seen optimistic results with yield rates of the process, with mass production on track to start by the end of the year. Samsung also has plans to expand 2nm to the US by the start of next year, which indicates that we should expect positive results.
The Korean giant is in dire need of a breakthrough in its chip business since past processes haven't made much progress, and competition from the likes of TSMC and Intel is definitely ramping up.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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