MASSIVE Samsung Galaxy deals during Discover Samsung!

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

[Update: Official statement] Samsung cuts back on legacy nodes to support 3nm chip production

General
By 

Last updated: February 7th, 2023 at 13:35 UTC+01:00

Update: Samsung Foundry stated that the report stating the company is facing a talent shortage for legacy nodes is not true and completely baseless. Here is what Samsung Foundry said in an official statement to SamMobile:

“A recent report that Samsung is experiencing legacy node issues due to talent shortage for its foundry operations is groundless and not true. In addition to our industry-leading 3nm GAA process technology, legacy nodes are also an integral part of our foundry business and we will continue to cater to the various needs of our customers.”


Original story follows…

Samsung is reportedly facing difficulties manufacturing chipsets based on the 3nm process. Not because of technical setbacks but due to a shortage of talent in the semiconductor space. Samsung Foundry doesn’t seem to have enough R&D manpower to sustain 3nm-based chipset manufacturing, and the company has reportedly done some restructuring to mitigate these problems.

According to the Korean media, Samsung has reassigned some of its foundry employees from legacy processes to 3nm processes (or lower). The company doesn’t seem to have enough talent to support all nodes, and as a result, industry watchers say that it redistributed manpower from 130nm and 65nm foundry processes.

This reorganization doesn’t come without a cost, however. Recent reports say that the company no longer accepts orders for chipsets based on 130nm and 65nm nodes from domestic small and medium-sized fabless chipmakers.

The good news for Samsung, as far as competition in the semiconductor space is concerned, is that it is not the only chipmaker to face these issues. Semiconductor companies in the USA, Taiwan, and China, are also struggling to recruit more people.

TSMC recently delayed its 3nm production, possibly for these same reasons. Samsung did ship its first 3nm chips last year, but the first batch was of low quantity. Samsung delivered its first 3nm chips to a cryptocurrency mining company in China.

The new Galaxy S23 series uses 4nm-based chipsets, i.e., the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The latest Qualcomm SoC powering Samsung’s new flagship phones is manufactured by TSMC.

Via General 3nmSamsung FoundrySamsung Semiconductor
Load comments

You might also like

Japan’s government wants to help Samsung build its chip factory

Japan’s government wants to help Samsung build its chip factory

Samsung could be planning on building a new semiconductor manufacturing facility in Japan. The facility would include Samsung’s first chip packaging test line in the country, and a new report says that the Japanese government is willing to offer subsidies worth roughly 15 billion yen ($110 million) to the Korean tech giant, should the latter […]

  • By Mihai Matei
  • 13 hours ago
As Apple hoards TSMC’s 90% 3nm chip capacity, others could turn to Samsung for chips

As Apple hoards TSMC’s 90% 3nm chip capacity, others could turn to Samsung for chips

Samsung Foundry and TSMC are the only companies in the world capable of making chips using advanced fabrication processes. While Samsung Foundry started the production of semiconductor chips using its first-generation 3nm GAA process in the second half of 2022, TSMC has just begun making 3nm chips for Apple. Since Apple has booked almost all […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 2 days ago
Samsung may be developing Shinebolt and Flamebolt DRAM for AI supercomputers

Samsung may be developing Shinebolt and Flamebolt DRAM for AI supercomputers

A couple of weeks ago, a mysterious trademark application revealed that Samsung is trying to secure the term “Snowbolt” for an unreleased product that has everything to do with DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). In the meantime, two more trademark applications related to DRAM have emerged, confirming that whatever Snowbolt is, it won’t be alone. […]

  • By Mihai Matei
  • 3 days ago
Tesla CEO Elon Musk meets Samsung boss Lee Jae-yong to discuss car chips

Tesla CEO Elon Musk meets Samsung boss Lee Jae-yong to discuss car chips

Tesla CEO Elon Musk met Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong for the first time during the latter’s recent business trip to the US. The two top-level executives discussed ways to collaborate on automotive semiconductor chips. The meeting was held at Samsung Research America Headquarters in Silicon Valley, California, USA. Reports suggest that Elon Musk […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 3 days ago
Samsung is building a $222 million chip development facility in Japan

Samsung is building a $222 million chip development facility in Japan

Samsung, the world’s biggest memory chip maker, is reportedly building a new chip development facility in Yokohama, Japan. This highly symbolic initiative will bring together Japanese and South Korean chip firms to combat competition from the Chinese and Taiwanese markets. This new chip development facility will cost over JPY 300 billion (around $222 million) and […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 3 days ago
Oppo shuts down own chip division and potential Samsung Foundry client

Oppo shuts down own chip division and potential Samsung Foundry client

Oppo can no longer support the Chinese government’s dream of becoming self-sufficient in the semiconductor sector. New reports say that the company has suddenly shut down its chip design business to the shock of its employees. News about the smartphone maker establishing an in-house chip design team emerged in December 2022. Back then, rumors said […]

  • By Mihai Matei
  • 5 days ago