Samsung might turn to TSMC for new era of Exynos chips

Samsung needs an immediate solution for the success of Exynos chips. The System LSI Division is concerned over the success or failure of its key product. There’s a hope that TSMC may bring a new era of Samsung Exynos chips.

Exynos is going through its worst period on Samsung flagships. System LSI Division continues to design new flagship APs but the Foundry Division’s performance is hurting Samsung’s sentiments to grow its in-house mobile platform.

While the Memory Division is receiving more attention and resources due to the semiconductor downturn, the System LSI Division is struggling with declining competitiveness, especially in its Exynos mobile chips.

In recent years, the competitiveness of Exynos has decreased, and Foundry’s existing supply chain has collapsed. Reportedly: Samsung’s System LSI Division is seeking recovery through external collaborations, including a potential TSMC partnership.

System LSI Division has been exploring alliances with external foundries. Discussions have been ongoing, and significant progress is said to have been made. It remains uncertain whether TSMC will agree to favorable terms as it’s stretched thin with orders from Apple, Qualcomm, and others.

Samsung is the biggest Android smartphone vendor globally. The company has invested much revenue and time in the evolution of Exynos. The product is facing a lack of innovation, leading it to stay away from commercialization.

Grown to compete with Qualcomm and Apple, Samsung’s Exynos was once a strong player in the smartphone market. In the Galaxy S23 series, there was no Exynos and it’s going to repeat in the Galaxy S25 next year.