Chip Competition/Wars Updates

Samsung Electronics has already started the development of a 2nm chipset as competition with Apple and TSMC heats up. Samsung has said it would mass-produce the 2nm process for mobile applications in 2025. The process is claimed to showcase a 12% increase in performance, a 25% increase in power efficiency, and a 5% decrease in total area. Samsung began the 2nm AP (application processor) project codenamed “Thetis”, which is believed to be the Exynos 2600 — the flagship chipset likely to debut with the Galaxy S26 series in 2026. Assuming all goes well with testing, Samsung will reportedly be one of the first to bring the commercialized 2nm-based chip, following a likely 3nm chip arriving with the Galaxy S25 in 2025. (ET News, Android Central, GSM Arena)

The global foundry industry’s revenue declined about 5% QoQ but grew 12% YoY in 1Q24, according to Counterpoint Research. The sequential decline in the industry revenue in 1Q24 was not solely due to seasonal effects. It was also impacted by a slower recovery in demand for non-AI semiconductors, spanning sectors such as smartphones, consumer electronics, IoT, automotive, and industrial applications. This trend resonates with the observations of TSMC’s management regarding the…