Samsung Reportedly Considering Partnership with TSMC to Jointly Produce Exynos 2500

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www.trendforce.com, Dec. 18, 2024 – 

According to a report from Wccftech, Samsung Electronics may consider partnering with external foundries to produce its Exynos 2500 processor for the first time. The Wccftech report, citing Korean media outlet The Bell, notes that while TSMC is not explicitly mentioned, it remains the only alternative for mass-producing Exynos chips.

Samsung's 3nm GAA process has struggled with low yield rates, according to Wccftech. As a result, the Exynos 2500 is unlikely to feature in next year's Galaxy S25 smartphones. Instead, the Galaxy S25 will rely entirely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.

Following confirmation that the Exynos 2500 will not be included in the Galaxy S25, Samsung's semiconductor division, LSI, is showing a greater willingness to collaborate with external foundries. As Wccftech notes, citing The Bell, the division is now actively exploring partnerships with external foundries to address its ongoing challenges.

At the same time, Wccftech highlights that Samsung Foundry and TSMC are currently the only foundries capable of mass-producing Exynos processors using advanced nodes.

However, according to the Wccftech report citing The Bell, this does not mean Exynos processors will be fully outsourced, severing ties with Samsung Foundry. Instead, Samsung is reportedly considering adopting a multi-foundry strategy to diversify production and ensure supply chain stability, and it might be extended to categories beyond mobile, automotive, and communications to stabilize performance.

Despite this, Wccftech points out that TSMC is already operating at full capacity, casting doubt on whether it would accept additional orders. The report further notes that TSMC recently achieved a significant milestone in its 2nm trial production, attaining a 60% yield rate. This suggests that mass production is not far off. Since the demand for 2nm wafers is reportedly higher than for 3nm, TSMC's incentive to cooperate with Samsung is further reduced.

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