The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is set to undergo exclusive mass production utilizing TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process. However, its successor the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is said to be mulling over a dual foundry approach, with Qualcomm going to both the Korean and Taiwanese giants. These two companies have reportedly been asked by the chipset manufacturer to provide samples of their 2 chips.
All About Qualcomm, Samsung, TSMC, and New Gen Snapdragon
While this company’s own 2nm chipsets are expected to be available, in one year Qualcomm is aiming to kick start its competition with Samsung and TSMC by exploring partnerships as foundries. Qualcomm’s main focus is on improving performance and increasing yields through prototype development known as “project wafer (MPW)” where multiple prototypes are developed on a single wafer.
If Qualcomm succeeds in partnering with both Samsung and TSMC to mass produce the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 it could mean that Samsung will exclusively use Galaxy S26 series smartphones powered by the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy’ SoC based on Samsung’s 2nm technology. On the hand, TSMC’s 2nm node is expected to support smartphone brands. This decision seems to be influenced by Qualcomm’s experience with Snapdragon 8 Gen4, where poor yields of five billion circuits made from SIMD accelerators resulted in Samsung not receiving any orders due to yield.
By incorporating Samsung and TSMC as foundry partners, Qualcomm is likely to reduce chipset costs since the price of their flagship silicon has been gradually increasing. This puts pressure on smartphone partners either to raise prices or compromise, on margins. On the other hand, another option, for partners would be to consider MediaTek. They are giving competition to Qualcomm in the high-end chipset market, with their Dimensity 9300. It seems like they will continue this trend with the upcoming Dimensity 9400.
Each Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is estimated to cost Qualcomm’s partners $200, with indications suggesting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be even pricier due to the transition to custom Oryon cores. Given the inherent high costs associated with advanced manufacturing processes, Qualcomm has an opportunity to bring both semiconductor giants on board, provided it is satisfied with the 2nm samples.
