November 29, 2024

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The Samsung Exynos 2400 mobile application processor (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics is expected to introduce its new flagship Exynos 2500 mobile processor made with its cutting-edge 3-nanometer process, in the upcoming Galaxy S25 smartphone lineup, according to industry sources on Friday.

The envisioned chipset, which will be produced on Samsung Foundry’s second-generation 3nm process node using the advanced Gate-all-around technology, will be designed with the main focus on improving power efficiency.

Samsung, the world's top memory chipmaker, has been expanding its business portfolio into the foundry and logic chip industries.

The tech giant introduced its Exynos 2200 mobile application chipset in its Galaxy S22 series in 2022. But the processor was criticized as the main cause of the smartphone’s overheating and underperformance. After the issue was flagged, the smartphone maker used Qualcomm’s application processors in the subsequent smartphone series.

This year, the tech giant signaled its comeback in the mobile AP sector, introducing its Exynos 2400 chip in its latest flagship Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus models.

With the flagship smartphone series featuring the company's first on-device artificial intelligence features that were well-received in the market, the company appears to have gained confidence in its chipsets.

Using its own chip brand in its smartphone series not only cuts down the production cost for its mobile device business but also boosts the company's chip business.

Samsung will also be stepping up its game in the foundry business with its envisioned Exynos 2500, becoming the first company to start mass-production of the 3nm chip using the new transistor structure Gate-all-around. The new GAA structure reduces power leakage and increases drive current to improve power efficiency and produce less heat.

While Samsung was the first chipmaker to introduce the advanced 3nm chipmaking process for mass production in the foundry business in June 2022, it has been struggling to make a profit with the new technology.

TSMC, the world's top foundry firm based in Taiwan, introduced the 3nm process 6 months later than Samsung but started making meaningful profits from the third quarter of last year by producing the A17 Pro AP chipset for Apple's iPhone 15.

The company also uses the 3nm process to produce Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, but it uses the conventional FinFET transistor structure. The foundry is expected to introduce the GAA structure, with the 2nm chipmaking process.

According to market tracker Counterpoint Research, MediaTek and Qualcomm topped the global mobile AP market, each taking 33 percent and 23 percent of the shipment in the fourth quarter last year. Apple followed with 20 percent, and Samsung landed at No. 5 with 5 percent.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)