Currently, although Samsung is also planning a 7-nanometer manufacturing process, TSMC has signed more than 40 customers covering areas such as mobile communications, high-speed computing and artificial intelligence (AI), including large orders for Apple's iPhone processor chips. Obviously, for 2018 The chip foundry war, TSMC has won the first half.
TSMC maintains leading technology
To maintain its technological lead, TSMC will integrate 'extreme ultraviolet' (EUV) technology into the enhanced version of the 7-nanometer manufacturing process to step up the deployment of 5-nanometer and 3-nanometer manufacturing processes.
According to TSMC's plan, Fab 18 plant, a 5-nanometer production base, will be officially started this year at SSPC and will be planned for three times in a row.While the launch date of the 3-nanometer manufacturing process has not been announced yet, the insider said it is expected to start operation in 2020.
TSMC has said it will invest more than 200 billion US dollars to plan the 3-nanometer process.Obviously, TSMC to comprehensively attack Samsung.
Industry sources said TSMC 5-nanometer manufacturing process will be a continuation of 7-nanometer technology, application areas also lock mobile communications, high performance computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, etc., is expected to enter the trial run in early 2019.
Samsung's positive counterattack
In May last year, Samsung announced that it had been stripping its chip foundry business from its semiconductor business unit to become an independent business unit, a move that shows that Samsung is focusing on chip foundry business and wants to narrow its gap with TSMC.
Recently, Samsung reached a consensus with South Korea's Hwaseong City, plans to establish a new 7-nanometer process line this year.In addition, Samsung and the United States and mainland China to discuss new cooperation projects, a positive counter-strategy is obvious.
According to Samsung's plan, the company will launch a 4-nanometer manufacturing process by 2020, apparently aimed at TSMC's 5-nanometer process. Between 2018 and 2020, Samsung will continue to promote the semiconductor manufacturing process. This year plans to mass-produce 7-nanometer, and 2019 Years will be put into 6 nm and 5 nm research and development.
According to executives at Samsung's chip foundry business, Samsung plans to win 25% of the world's foundry market in five years, with TSMC currently accounting for about 60% of the global market and less than 10% for Samsung.
According to people familiar with the matter, Samsung's foundry strategy shifted as TSMC won orders for Apple and Qualcomm with its 7-nanometer manufacturing process, and Samsung used to focus on high-end foundry and now has extensive exposure to various application areas Customers to increase market share.