News
Biden sidelines Samsung, TSMC gets $6.6 billion CHIPS subsidy in the US
Biden administration approved a $6.6 billion CHIPS Act subsidy to TSMC. The move comes right before President-elect Donald Trump’s 2nd term. Samsung and SK Hynix are also eligible for incentives but disbursal is awaited.
The outgoing gov led by Joe Biden has officially confirmed a $6.6 billion subsidy under the CHIPS and Science Act for the TSMC semiconductor plant in Arizona, US.
On November 15, the White House announced, “The Department of Commerce has provided up to $6.6 billion in direct funding to TSMC’s subsidiary, TSMC Arizona.”
“Today’s final agreement with TSMC – the world’s leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductors – will spur $65 billion dollars of private investment to build three state-of-the-art facilities in Arizona and create tens of thousands of jobs by the end of the decade. This is the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in the history of the United States.
The first of TSMC’s three facilities is on track to fully open early next year, which means that for the first time in decades an American manufacturing plant will be producing the leading-edge chips used in our most advanced technologies – from our smartphones, to autonomous vehicles, to the data centers powering artificial intelligence.” – U.S. President Joe Biden
After Trump hinted at repealing the CHIPS Act, concerns were raised about whether the subsidy promised by the Biden administration would actually be executed.
Intel, Samsung and SK still waiting
Intel, Samsung, and SK Hynix have also signed preliminary agreements with the US Gov. However, TSMC has a sharp edge in terms of becoming the initial beneficiary.
Samsung will invest $44 billion and receive a subsidy of $6.4 billion, while SK Hynix will invest $3.87 billion and receive a subsidy of $450 million.
Following the TSMC announcement, it is expected that subsidies for other semiconductor companies such as Intel, Samsung, and SK Hynix will also be confirmed.
Low-interest loans for TSMC
The US Department of Commerce also stated that it would provide TSMC Arizona with low-interest loans of up to $5 billion, following the disbursal of incentives.
TSMC plans to invest $65 billion to build three semiconductor plants in Arizona. The second plant, scheduled to be operational in 2028, will use 2nm technology.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series could get a price hike in South Korea. The reason is political chaos in the country, including the brief implementation of martial law.
Korean media reports that Samsung may increase the price of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. Due to political turmoil, the Korean currency has significantly weakened to the US dollar.
The Galaxy S25 series could be affected by exchange rates. TSMC has already raised its production costs, and the rising value of the dollar has significantly increased chip purchase costs.
After President Yoon’s “emergency martial law” incident, the Korean Won’s rates have weakened against the US dollar, which has led to an increase in product prices.
Samsung is likely to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip across the Galaxy S25 series. As there is no Exynos configured, the company may have an intense burden of product costs.
Galaxy S24 and S24+ released earlier this year cost the same as their predecessor. However, the S24 Ultra’s price increased by 100,000 won compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra due to Snapdragon.
Qualcomm has increased the Snapdragon chipset’s pricing by up to 30%. This is due to the utilization of TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm fabrication process for the first time.
As all models tentatively use Snapdragon chips, a price hike seems unavoidable. However, freezing prices would significantly affect the company’s operating profit and revenue generation.
Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1299 in the US, while the S24 Ultra starts at $1399. There’s already a difference of $100, and another price bump would reduce Samsung’s storm.
Samsung has launched the Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S24 in India. These devices are strictly designed to meet the needs of businesses by offering enhanced security, extended support, and streamlined management.
The new Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra Enterprise Edition smartphones aim to empower businesses with reliable, secure, and manageable mobile solutions tailored to the rapidly digitizing business landscape in India.
Here are the key features and offerings for businesses:
Key Features of Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra Enterprise Edition
Built for Business
Includes popular Galaxy AI features such as:
- Live Translate and Interpreter for real-time translations.
- Note Assist for generating summaries and templates in Samsung Notes.
- Circle to Search with Google for enhanced search capabilities.
Enhanced Security and Management
- Includes a 12-month subscription to Knox Suite:
- Defense-grade security.
- Streamlined device/OS management.
- Insights into device usage and security.
- Offers up to 7 years of continuous firmware updates to protect against threats like malware and phishing.
- Tailored capabilities for frontline workers.
Specifications
Galaxy S24 Ultra Enterprise Edition:
- 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Galaxy S24 Enterprise Edition:
- 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Both models provide stable device availability, continuous patch management, and consistent Android OS version updates for up to seven years.
Business Continuity
- A 3-year warranty ensures uninterrupted market availability and device support.
- Designed to handle demanding business use cases, enabling seamless operations.
Availability
The Galaxy S24, S24 Ultra Enterprise Edition, and rugged XCover7 smartphones are available for corporate and institutional customers via the Samsung Corporate+ portal at Samsung.com/in/corporateplus.
Apple outpaced Samsung in the adoption of a 3nm chipset last year. It looks like Apple will beat Samsung in the 2nm TSMC chip next year. A new report suggests that next year’s iPhone Pro series will boast a 2nm chipset.
Taiwan’s Commercial Times reports that TSMC’s 2nm process is set to begin design work between January and April next year. Apple will be the first 2nm TSMC customer, beating Qualcomm which supplies Snapdragon chips to Samsung.
Currently, the most advanced process is 3nm, which both TSMC and Samsung Electronics are capable of producing. As the width of semiconductor circuit lines narrows, power efficiency improves, and performance increases.
Last heard, TSMC’s 2nm test production yield exceeded 60%, making mass production feasible next year. The current progress of the 2nm process technology suggests that mass production will proceed as planned in 2025.
Being the world’s leading contract chip manufacturing company, TSMC is solidifying its dominance. It continues to expand its global market share, outpacing Samsung Foundry while making steady progress in advanced processes.
The Chairman of Taiwan’s TSMC recently stated that the customer demand for 2nm products is higher than for 3nm. The industry consensus is that TSMC will continue to lead in cutting-edge processes for the time being.
TrendForce recently reported that TSMC generated $23.527 billion in foundry market revenue in the third quarter of this year, marking a 13% increase from the previous quarter.
The company’s market share reached 64.9%, maintaining its first-place position and improving from the previous quarter’s 62.3%, with the gap with Samsung Foundry continuing to widen.