Google appears to be taking steps towards independent chip development as it’s said to be testing a “self-developed” Tensor chip in collaboration with Taiwanese company KYEC. 

KYEC provides testing services for new chips headed to manufacturing in Taiwan. Google is reportedly buying equipment for testing these chips at KYEC, with tests starting around the middle of this year and increasing over time (via 9to5Google).

This development could mean Google is moving away from using Samsung’s processors for its Pixel phones.

Google Tensor G5 chip TSMC

Sources suggest the chip in question is likely the Tensor G5, codenamed “Laguna.” And it is slated for a potential 2025 release. Likely to be manufactured on TSMC’s 3nm process, this chip is expected to prioritize artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, aligning with Google’s focus on AI-powered features in its Pixel devices.

The switch would mark Google’s first fully custom chipset design, as the company has thus far been relying heavily on a foundation provided by Samsung’s Exynos chips.

Shifting production to TSMC could offer Google several advantages. Bypassing Samsung’s Exynos chip base, which currently lags behind Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series in terms of performance and efficiency, could give Google more control over its chip design and potentially lead to more powerful and efficient Pixel phones in the future.

However, in the immediate future, Google’s partnership with Samsung will continue. The Tensor G4, destined for the upcoming Pixel 9 series, will be built using Samsung’s 4nm process and will likely offer minor improvements over the G3 found in the Pixel 8 series.

The technology Google is using for its Tensor G4 is said to be similar to what Samsung employs in its Exynos 2400 SoC. So we can expect a decent amount of improvements in CPU and GPU gains. 

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