The tech world is no stranger to rivalries, from IBM vs. Apple in home computing to Samsung vs. Apple in the smartphone industry. But now, the latest rivalry is in the complex world of chip manufacturing with TSMC vs. Samsung Foundry. Currently, Taiwan’s TSMC is the leader in the contract foundry arena, attracting business from major chip designers like Apple and Qualcomm.

Samsung Foundry has reportedly secured its first order for 2nm chips from Japanese company Preferred Networks (PFN). This marks a significant milestone for Samsung Foundry as it rapidly realizes practical applications of deep learning and other emerging technologies to solve real-world problems that are difficult to address with existing technologies.

The deal between Samsung Foundry and PFN is expected to benefit both firms – PFN gets chips produced using cutting-edge techniques, while Samsung Foundry secures its first customer for 2nm production. The move might also be an effort by Samsung Foundry to keep PFN away from TSMC, potentially offering discounts to reel in the customer. Mass production of 2nm chips by Samsung Foundry is slated to begin in 2025.

When it comes down to it, as the process node “size” drops, so does the size of the transistors used within a chip, allowing more transistors to fit inside the component. This ultimately results in a more powerful and energy-efficient chip. For example, in 2019, the 7nm A13 Bionic inside the iPhone 11 series had 8.5 billion transistors inside each chipset. Comparatively, the upcoming 3nm A17 Pro that powers future iPhone models will carry a staggering 19 billion transistors in each unit.

This development marks an exciting advancement in chip technology and sets up an intriguing competition between TSMC and Samsung Foundry as they continue their battle for industry dominance. Stay tuned for more updates as this rivalry unfolds!