Qualcomm Will Not Be Switching to Samsung Foundry for Snapdragon 8 Gen 4

This week, numerous rumors have been making rounds, talking about how Qualcomm would switch to Samsung Foundry for its 3nm chipsets for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. While it is understandable why certain sources are taking this position, it seems as if their claims may not be true after all.

If you aren’t already aware, Apple has secured almost 90% of of TSMC’s N3 orders, meaning that Qualcomm would have to cut back on 3nm this year, which they did. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is being fully being produced on TSMC’s N4P process.

Qualcomm would NOT use Samsung Foundry “exclusively” for Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, meaning that next year, Qualcomm would have to resort to TSMC again, which seems unlikely, given how the foundry would be working at its maximum capacity, thanks to Apple. Even if they do decide to go with N3, they’ll most likely opt for the more economical option, the N3E.

The other option they have is to dual-source the chips, which would bring about all sorts of problems with it. See, TSMC’s current 3nm yield rests at ~60%, whereas SF has a healthy 70-80% output, meaning that Qualcomm would probably look the other way, but not now.

There were previous reports that indicated that Snapdragon chips "For Galaxy" will by manufactured by Samsung Foundry, but there is no surety. 

Now, a reputable industry insider, @Tech_Reve has stated that Qualcomm WILL resort to Samsung Foundry in the future, but that won’t be happening anytime soon. At the earliest, the first Snapdragon chip to be manufactured by Samsung Foundry would probably be the Gen 5.

If, somehow Qualcomm manages to confirm (GAA) Gen 4 production via Samsung Foundry, it will, not only be better than TSMC’s FinFET, but also will allow them to secure more orders, at relatively higher yields.

This is all we know for now, but rest assured that we will keep you updated as new information becomes available.