A report suggests that Google’s upcoming Pixel smartphone models may be more efficient than the company’s current versions. Following years of utilizing Tensor G3 chips manufactured by Samsung, it appears from recent rumors that Google intends to move its processor requirements from Samsung to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). The next Pixel 9 series is anticipated to use a Samsung-made Tensor G4 SoC, which purportedly uses a different packaging process to give considerable improvements over last year’s Tensor G3 chip, despite reports about the transition appearing multiple times. According to a recent report, TSMC’s 3nm process might be used in the Tensor G5 processor that is released the following year.
Samsung’s foundry has been having problems with yield and power efficiency with its 3nm technology for some time, according to a Business Korea report, and the company believes that TSMC’s 3nm process will ultimately cause it to lose customers. Prominent brands such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, Google, and Intel would be among these clients. Google will choose TSMC’s 3nm technology, according to a report citing an industry source.
According to the comprehensive report, Samsung will continue to supply Google with processors through the fourth generation of Tensor processors. For the fifth generation, which may be dubbed the Tensor G5, Samsung will replace Google with TSMC, if Google keeps using the same name for its GPU.
According to reports, Google plans to use TSMC’s 3nm technology for its Tensor G5 processor in an effort to increase the efficiency of its CPU. This might eventually put its phones and processor on level with Apple’s iPhone, which now uses an industry-leading 3nm technology.
Although Samsung was the first company in the market to adopt the first-generation 3nm node back in 2022, the company is still having difficulty meeting the required standards for heat management and power efficiency. Because TSMC’s process has a higher power efficiency than Samsung’s, it is now the preferred alternative for the majority of manufacturers.
Heat management, which affects servers as well as smartphones, has shown the process node to be beneficial. According to reports, the inclusion of AI elements will increase overall load and heighten the importance of issues with efficiency and heat.
Samsung is not expected to use its Exynos chipset for the Galaxy S25 series, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. If this does place, “Samsung would no longer use Qualcomm processors in its top Galaxy smartphone series; instead, it will use its own Exynos SoCs, which it first introduced this year for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ in a few areas, including India.”
