Samsung to start production of 2nd Gen 10nm chipsets this year

These will reportedly offer 10% better performance; a cheaper, 14nm manufacturing process may also be in works for budget chipsets.

Samsung is planning to start production of the second generation of 10nm chipsets this year. At an invite-only event held at the company’s office in San Jose, Samsung Semiconductor’s Senior Director, Kelvin Low, told Re/code recode that the company will have thinner, 10nm chip-making technology in production later this year. He added that the second generation of these chipsets will offer 10% better performance as compared to the first generation. In addition, the company also announced plans for a cheaper, 14nm manufacturing process.
Samsung has already purchased a semiconductor Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool, which would facilitate the start of manufacturing 10nm chipsets before its competitors. The production of second generation 10nm chipsets along with the cheaper 14nm manufacturing processes could help Samsung get an edge over Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). TSMC has signed a deal with Apple to become the sole manufacturer of the iPhone 7’s chipset, and is expected to begin full-scale production of next generation chipsets by June 2016. Earlier, both Samsung and TSMC manufactured chipsets for iPhones. Samsung's 14nm FinFet process is being used for its own Exynos chipsets like 7420, 7870, and 8890. Qualcomm’s present generation flagship processor, the Snapdragon 820, also uses the 14nm FinFet process. Source:digit.in