Latest news with #TensorChips
GSM Arena
2 days ago
- GSM Arena
Report: Samsung was shocked by Google's switch to TSMC for future Tensor chips
Samsung foundries manufactured the first four Google Tensor chips – the G1 through G4 that were used in the Pixel 6 through Pixel 9 series. Now insiders are saying that Google has switched alliances and the next five generations, Tensor G5 through G9, will be fabbed by TSMC – these will be used in the Pixel 10 (coming later this year) to Pixel 14 series. This reportedly came as a shock to executives over at Samsung who are now convening meetings to analyze what went wrong and to chart possible paths to recovery. Besides Samsung's Exynos division, Google was the last major chipset client to exclusively use Samsung foundries. Qualcomm still uses them for the occasional Snapdragon, but it's the likes of Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and 6 Gen 3 – everything else, the flagship chips especially, has gone over to TSMC. Other companies such as Nvidia used Samsung for GPU dies, but moved over to TSMC several years ago – the one major exception being Nintendo Switch 2's Tegra T239 chip, but that is fabbed on an old 8nm node. So, what next? Google will be getting 3nm Tensor G5 chips for the Pixel 10 models coming later this year. Samsung seems to have also lost the modem business to MediaTek – Pixel 10 phones will reportedly use MediaTek T900 modems instead (although some rumors still point to an Exynos modem). As for the GPU, that will come from Imagination. Tensor G5 will focus on improving efficiency rather than bringing more performance – that task will be left for the Tensor G6. Google is also working on a Tensor chip for smartwatches, though it's not clear which foundry will be used for that one. As for Samsung, the foundries are reportedly seeing improved yields from the 2nm GAA ('Gate All Around') node. This is good news for the Exynos 2600, which will reportedly be featured in the Galaxy S26 series – if that chip performs well, it can become a showcase of what Samsung's foundries can do, which will help when the company tries to lure old customers away from TSMC. Source (in Korean) | Via
Android Authority
27-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
We're about to witness a critical moment for Google Pixel phones
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority If you're a Google Pixel fan, the future of the smartphone series has never looked brighter. Yesterday, a new report claimed Google won't just have TSMC produce the Tensor G5 chip in the Pixel 10, but it will keep that TSMC partnership going for up to five years. In other words, we could see TSMC-made Tensor chips starting with the Pixel 10 and lasting through the Pixel 14. Google's Tensor chips have never been known for their incredible horsepower, battery efficiency, or thermal management. Since Google introduced its Tensor chips in 2021, the blame for those shortcomings has largely been put on Samsung, which has manufactured Google's Tensor chips since the beginning. But with Samsung exiting the picture and TSMC supposedly filling that role for the next several years, we could be looking at the best phase of Google Pixel phones yet. This is a big bet for Google, and if it pays off, it'll mark the beginning of a grand new chapter for both Tensor chips and Pixel phones as a whole. But if the switch to TSMC doesn't work, it'll be one of the biggest fumbles in Google Pixel history. Do you think switching to TSMC will solve Google's Tensor problems? 43 votes Yes, Samsung has been holding Google back. 65 % No, Google's bad chip design is to blame. 35 % A chance to correct years of Tensor trouble Robert Triggs / Android Authority Complaints around Google's Tensor project have existed since the first Tensor G1 debuted with the Pixel 6, and they've continued right up to the latest Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 series. If you've followed Google's Pixel phones during this time, you know exactly the complaints I'm talking about: lacking horsepower, poor thermals, and disappointing battery life. These shortcomings were most aggressive with the Tensor G1 and G2 chips in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series, respectively. Those phones regularly had performance hiccups, could barely last a full day on a single charge, and would quickly turn into an overpowered handwarmer if you pushed them too hard. Those issues subsided a bit with the Tensor G3 powering the Pixel 8 lineup, and things are even better yet with the Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9 phones. But for all the improvements Google has made over the years, it's never been enough to best or match the alternatives. The Google Pixel 9 Pro is an outstanding Android phone, but its performance benchmarks, battery longevity, and thermal management are still lacking compared to any competing Android phone with a flagship Qualcomm or MediaTek chip. And this has been Google's biggest issue ever since it started this Tensor experiment. Google's Tensor chips have never been enough to best or match the alternatives. With each new Tensor generation, Google has moved at a snail's pace to correct the drawbacks of the previous version, rather than trying to take on the competition. While things improve year over year from Pixel to Pixel, Google never has a chance to fully compete on the same level as the latest Snapdragon or Dimensity chip. And with every year that passes, that discrepancy becomes more challenging to contend with. This is a cycle Google has been incapable of breaking, and a large part of it is almost certainly due to Tensor chips being manufactured and produced by Samsung. Samsung's chipmaking division (Samsung Foundry) has a proven track record for being one of the weaker players in the semiconductor game. TSMC, meanwhile, is one of the best. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority When Qualcomm made a similar change in 2022, the TSMC-made Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 offered a 10% performance boost and 30% better power efficiency over the Samsung-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The chip designs were largely identical, but that difference in manufacturing alone still yielded incredible, tangible improvements. Now, imagine what kind of upgrades we could see going from a Samsung-made Tensor G4 to a TSMC-made Tensor G5. We're talking a brand new generation of chipset technology, plus a much better foundry producing it. And if that TSMC partnership continues the way this new report suggests, Google could very well have the resources it needs to finally put its Tensor chips on the same level as a flagship Snapdragon or Dimensity one. If all goes according to plan, this is the shakeup Google has desperately needed. A modern Pixel phone that's no longer shackled by the usual Tensor troubles is an exciting thing to think about, and it could very well be the future we're headed toward — especially if Google is working with TSMC for years to come. But that future is not guaranteed. Google's last opportunity to fix things Paul Jones / Android Authority There is another outcome to this scenario, and it's one where a TSMC-made Tensor chip doesn't live up to our expectations. There's a very strong possibility that Samsung is what's been holding Tensor chips back, but it's also worth considering that Google's core chipset designs may not be particularly good. If that's the case, then going from Samsung to TSMC won't matter, and we'll continue having Pixels with the same issues we've had for the last several years. As big of a win as the TSMC switch will be if it works out, it'll be just as damning for Google if it doesn't. Either this will be one of the best moves Google makes for the Pixel lineup, or it'll be one of the most disappointing. Think about the position Google would be in if it goes through this massive foundry change, just to keep producing chips that continue to offer lackluster performance and efficiency. Not only is this likely an enormous financial investment, but it's a move with a lot of eyes on it, too. It's also the last big move Google has up its sleeve to rejuvenate its Tensor chips. If Google still can't figure things out with TSMC manufacturing, it doesn't have another big foundry to turn to. At that point, Google either keeps chugging along with disappointing Tensor chips year after year, or it throws in the towel and admits defeat. Joe Maring / Android Authority Unfortunately for Google, there's no real middle ground here. Either the company gets its Tensor chips back on track with Tensor G5 and starts producing the flagship silicon we've been waiting for, or it doesn't. Either this will be one of the best moves Google makes for the Pixel lineup, or it'll be one of the most disappointing. No matter the outcome, we're heading towards a critical shift in the future of Pixel phones as we know them, and — hopefully — one for the better.
Phone Arena
26-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
The Google Pixel and TSMC partnership could last longer than we thought
We already knew Google was planning to use Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, to make the chip for the Pixel 10. But now we're hearing that this isn't just for one phone, but actually a multi-year deal to build the Tensor chips that power future Pixel devices. Up until the Pixel 9, Google has had Samsung make their Tensor chips. Even though Google helps design them, they've used some of Samsung's tech. Switching to TSMC, who are experts at making really advanced chips, for more than just one phone suggests Google wants even more control over how these chips are made. They probably want to make them even better for Pixel phones, focusing on things like making them faster, using less battery, and being smarter with artificial intelligence. We already expected the chip for the Pixel 10, the Tensor G5, to be made by TSMC using a very advanced 3nm process. This is a big deal in the chip world because it usually means you can pack more power into a smaller space and use less energy. The news about a multi-year deal just makes it clearer that Google is planning to stick with TSMC for a while to take advantage of these improvements for future Pixel phones, especially with all the new AI stuff they've been showing off. The Google and TSMC collaboration could last up to 2029. | Image credit — TSMC However, this latest report says that this partnership could last until the Pixel 14, around 2029. That's a long time in the tech world. This commitment shows that Google sees the Tensor chip as a key part of its Pixel strategy for the foreseeable future. This comes after some earlier talk about Google maybe working with MediaTek. However, the reports of the company going with a longer deal with TSMC seems to mean Google is really investing in making their own chips a big part of what makes Pixel phones special. We've seen how the Tensor chip already helps Pixel phones do unique things. This deeper partnership with TSMC could make those things even better in the phones we see down the road. It'll be interesting to see just how much Google can innovate with this closer collaboration down the line.
Android Authority
26-05-2025
- Android Authority
If the Pixel 10 doesn't have great battery life, there really is no saving Tensor
Robert Triggs / Android Authority Google has used semi-custom Tensor chips for its Pixel phones since the Pixel 6 series back in 2021. However, it's fair to say that these processors haven't been a smashing success for the company. One frequent complaint is that Tensor chips are underpowered compared to rivals, but we knew this from the start as Google publicly focused on real-world usage and AI tasks. What's more worrying is that these phones have historically suffered from disappointing battery life compared to rivals. Things have improved with the Pixel 9 series, but colleague Joe Maring still expressed disappointment with the Pixel 9 Pro's battery life. Meanwhile, the standard Pixel 9 trades blows with the standard Galaxy S24 despite having a much larger battery than the Samsung phone. Google is switching chip manufacturers from Samsung to TSMC for future Pixel phones, and this should theoretically result in better battery life. But if this trend of mixed endurance and heating continues, I really don't see the point of Google keeping Tensor around. Why a switch from Samsung to TSMC should be a good thing Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung has consistently played second-fiddle to TSMC when it comes to chip manufacturing prowess, often producing chips that run hotter and are less efficient. This doesn't seem like a huge deal to most consumers, but it has real-world consequences. My favorite example of this was 2022's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processors. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was manufactured by Samsung, while the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 was a mid-year refresh made by TSMC. Qualcomm claimed a 10% boost to clock speeds, which is a pretty impressive upgrade compared to previous Plus processors. However, the company also offered an efficiency boost for the first time in a Plus chip, with a claimed 30% efficiency gain. So what did that mean in practice? What do you want most from the Pixel 10's chip? 217 votes Better performance 35 % Longer battery life 45 % More powerful on-device AI 5 % Less heating 14 % Qualcomm noted at the time that you could expect to play games for up to an hour longer, stream video for 80 more minutes, and get 17 more hours of music playback. Bear in mind that this is effectively the same chipset, albeit produced by different manufacturers. In other words, switching chip manufacturers can result in significant battery life improvements. And Google is apparently doing just this for the Pixel 10 series, all the way to the Pixel 14 family. But what if the Pixel 10 is a battery dud? Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority Improved battery life for the Pixel 10 series and newer Pixel phones is far from guaranteed, though. TSMC has long bested Samsung Foundry in the manufacturing game, but there's always the possibility that Samsung will turn things around with its 3nm and 2nm designs. This seems unlikely as 2023's canceled Exynos 2300 and the delayed Exynos 2500 strongly suggest that Samsung's chip production business is still in a sorry state. In other words, I think it's increasingly likely Google will only have itself to blame if its switch to TSMC doesn't result in better endurance and reduced heating (another bane of my Pixel-owning existence). In previous years, I could always say that Samsung is the big reason why Google's chips lag behind in these areas. I can no longer use this excuse in the future, and nor can Google. Google and Pixel fans can no longer hide behind Samsung if the Pixel 10 series and future Pixels suffer from poor battery life. Instead, I think it's fair to say that any future battery life problems will be down to Google's chip design team rather than the chip producer. So if future Pixel phones have disappointing battery life and heating issues, it leaves me with one question: why should Google continue making its own chips for Pixel? It also doesn't help that, barring some special deal, Google is likely paying a premium for TSMC compared to Samsung Foundry. After all, Samsung has struggled to hold on to customers for its most cutting-edge process technologies. It missed out on a big payday when the Galaxy S25 series skipped Exynos chips in favor of Qualcomm silicon. So it would've almost certainly been more cost-effective to continue with Samsung as one of the few big-name clients. Google potentially paying extra for TSMC-made chips means that future Tensor chips could be more expensive than before, so we could be paying a little more for our Pixels. That's somewhat understandable if these future phones offer better battery life and run a little cooler, but the prospect of paying extra cash without these perks doesn't sit right with me. The company might as well give us a tried-and-tested Snapdragon or MediaTek flagship processor if it's going to charge a premium. We're still a few months away from the Pixel 10 family's expected launch window. This will be the first Pixel device as part of the TSMC deal, so there will likely be some kinks to iron out. But I really won't be optimistic about the Tensor chip's future if the Pixel 11 and Tensor G6 still suffer from these familiar Pixel weaknesses.
Android Authority
26-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
Google could use the best chipmaker all the way until Pixel 14
Robert Triggs / Android Authority TL;DR Google and TSMC have reportedly signed a long-term deal to produce Tensor chips for the Pixel phone line. This is apparently a three-to-five-year deal and could last until the Pixel 14's release. TSMC has traditionally built more efficient processors than rival Samsung Foundry, which has built all Tensor chips to date. Google has previously relied on Samsung to produce its Tensor chips for Pixel phones, but that will change with the Pixel 10 series later this year. Top dog TSMC is expected to make the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 processor. However, it now looks like this won't be a short-term arrangement by any measure. Digitimes reports (h/t: Jukanlosreve) that Google and TSMC have a three-to-five-year deal to produce smartphone chips for the Pixel series. The outlet adds that the deal will last until the Pixel 14 range. What does this mean for future Tensor chips in Pixel phones? This should be good news for Google's Pixel phones, as TSMC has long had a reputation for being the best chip manufacturer in the industry. This was starkly illustrated with 2022's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 smartphone chips. The standard chipset was manufactured by rival Samsung Foundry, while the Plus variant was produced by TSMC. The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 delivered a notable performance boost over the original chip as expected but also yielded major efficiency gains. Efficiency improvements were previously unheard of for Qualcomm's Plus chips as they are typically overclocked versions of their standard high-end processor. What do you want most from the Pixel 10's chip? 0 votes Better performance NaN % Longer battery life NaN % More powerful on-device AI NaN % Less heating NaN % Samsung's chipmaking business also suffered a major blow with the Galaxy S25 series launch. The Galaxy S phones are traditionally powered by both Snapdragon and in-house Exynos chips as part of a dual-sourcing strategy. However, the Galaxy S25 series was exclusively powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. It's believed that Samsung Foundry couldn't make enough Exynos 2500 chips for the new Galaxy phones. Yield issues like this are a problem that Google will likely avoid by switching to TSMC, although Google doesn't sell nearly as many Pixel phones as Samsung's Galaxy S series anyway. We're expecting the Tensor G5 to have a significant efficiency boost over previous chips thanks to TSMC's 3nm manufacturing process. So we're expecting the Pixel 10 series to offer good battery life. However, our own reporting suggests that the new chip will be an iterative performance upgrade. Meanwhile, our previous Tensor G6 leak suggests the Pixel 11 could actually be a downgrade. Nevertheless, a long-term partnership between Google and TSMC bodes well for the future of Tensor chips and the Pixel line. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
