The semiconductor world's buzzing about a major foundry potentially ditching its ambitious 1.4 nm process node. Originally slated for a 2027 launch, the SF1.4 node might bite the dust due to persistent problems with the 3 nm SF3 process. After already shuttering production lines for underperforming 5 nm and 7 nm nodes, the company is switching gears to focus on improving current processes instead of chasing smaller nodes.
Market numbers tell a tough story—the foundry's market share has plummeted to around 8.2%, looking puny compared to TSMC's commanding 67.1% slice of the semiconductor pie. Despite these challenges, they're pushing forward with the SF2 node, which is earmarked for the Exynos 2600 chipset, and have snagged some specialized contracts, including a deal with Japan's Preferred Networks.
US sanctions have hindered the foundry's efforts to secure broader international partnerships, effectively limiting its reach to the Chinese market. The SF2Z node with Backside Power Delivery Network technology remains under development, but its success hinges on overcoming persistent manufacturing headaches that have been dogging the company.
Internal shuffles are brewing, too. Rumors suggest the Exynos design team might relocate to the Mobile Experience division as part of a strategic reorganization. The goal is to streamline operations and double down on improving current node yields rather than gambling on risky new node development. While this might patch short-term issues, tech experts are raising eyebrows about the company's long-term competitiveness in high-stakes fields like high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.
Market numbers tell a tough story—the foundry's market share has plummeted to around 8.2%, looking puny compared to TSMC's commanding 67.1% slice of the semiconductor pie. Despite these challenges, they're pushing forward with the SF2 node, which is earmarked for the Exynos 2600 chipset, and have snagged some specialized contracts, including a deal with Japan's Preferred Networks.
US sanctions have hindered the foundry's efforts to secure broader international partnerships, effectively limiting its reach to the Chinese market. The SF2Z node with Backside Power Delivery Network technology remains under development, but its success hinges on overcoming persistent manufacturing headaches that have been dogging the company.
Internal shuffles are brewing, too. Rumors suggest the Exynos design team might relocate to the Mobile Experience division as part of a strategic reorganization. The goal is to streamline operations and double down on improving current node yields rather than gambling on risky new node development. While this might patch short-term issues, tech experts are raising eyebrows about the company's long-term competitiveness in high-stakes fields like high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.
