Smartphone chipsets have yet to see the light of day on TSMC's latest 2nm process, but TSMC is already planning. The battle for semiconductor supremacy is reaching a major bottleneck as both Samsung and TSMC are supposedly headed in different directions.
TSMC Is Racing Toward 1nm Chipsets
Reported first by Digitimes, TSMC is already looking forward to producing 1nm chipsets. Despite the overwhelming amount of orders for the manufacturer's 2nm N2P lineup, it expects a rise in demand. To boost manufacturing, TSMC reportedly has 12 plants under construction to make it easier to produce its next-generation 1.4nm process.
The root of divergence lies in the reliability, as Samsung is facing a severe crisis in stabilising its 2nm production. Because the brand is failing at producing these chips at a higher rate, partners are keeping Samsung as a backup option. To stop the bleeding, the brand is being forced to refine its process to win back consumer trust.
Meanwhile, TSMC is taking full advantage of the same. While there's no fixed timeline for when the fabricators at these factories will start producing 1nm chipsets, TSMC's Longtan Phase III project of acquiring the land is not expected to start until 2029.
Samsung has also previously stated that it won't be producing 1nm chipsets until 2029, and it even managed to build a 2nm plant in the US before TSMC. However, until Samsung can figure out how to manufacture its current chips reliably, TSMC is going to take advantage of the same.
The first set of 2nm processes is expected to be released by Qualcomm at the Snapdragon summit later in 2026. Qualcomm's next-generation processor lineup is rumoured to consist of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. The processors are expected to power flagships like the OnePlus 16, Vivo X500 Ultra, Oppo Find X10 Ultra and more.
That said, Apple has reportedly secured the largest 2nm stake for its upcoming A20 Pro processor, which is expected to arrive in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max smartphones. More information about the upcoming 2nm, 1.4nm (A14) and all the developments around 1nm should be revealed as time progresses.
