Samsung Wins 5-Nanometer Modem Chip Contract From Qualcomm

[Aina]

Samsung Electronics semiconductor manufacturing division has won a contract to make new Qualcomm 5G chips using its most advanced chip-making technology, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter said, boosting the Korean firm’s efforts to gain market share against rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. From the report: Samsung will fabricate at least some of Qualcomm’s X60 modem chips, which will connect devices such as smart phones to 5G wireless data networks. The X60 will be made on Samsung’s 5-nanometer process, the sources said, which makes the chips smaller and more power-efficient than previous generations. One of the sources said TSMC is also expected to fabricate 5-nanometer modems for Qualcomm. Samsung and Qualcomm declined to comment, and TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Best known among consumers for its phones and other electronic devices, Samsung is the world’s second-biggest chip manufacturer through its foundry division, self-supplying many of its own mobile phone parts and also fabricating chips for outside customers such as IBM and Nvidia, among others.