Samsung expects to possibly catch up with last year’s iPhone by sometime next year

Zac Hall | May 21 2024 - 12:24 am PT

Samsung Electronics is set to mass-produce its 3nm Exynos application processors in the latter half of 2024, challenging Apple’s smartphone dominance, and pressuring TSMC and Qualcomm.

Samsung’s slow 3nm rollout

That’s according to DigiTimes, which published a report on Samsung’s Exynos 3nm chip this week.

Industry sources report that Samsung will officially unveil its 3nm APs, codenamed “Solomon,” in 2025. The System LSI Division completed the tape-out in early 2024, and the project has moved to the Semiconductor Foundry Division for prototype manufacturing.

The 3nm Exynos APs, using the Gate-All-Around (GAA) process, are expected to outperform the previous Exynos 2400 found in the Galaxy S24 series. Analysts predict these new APs will be integrated into the Galaxy S25 smartphones starting in late 2024, boosting Samsung’s competitiveness in the semiconductor market.

In sum, this is the anticipated timeline for Samsung’s shift to 3nm chips:

Mass Production in 2024: Samsung is preparing to start mass-producing the 3nm Exynos processors in the latter half of 2024.
Integration into Galaxy S25: Analysts expect these 3nm processors to be integrated into the Galaxy S25 smartphones, which are anticipated to launch in late 2024.
Official Unveiling in 2025: The formal unveiling of the 3nm APs, codenamed “Solomon,” might be planned for 2025, potentially aligning with broader announcements or additional products using the new technology.

Apple’s light speed lead

For comparison, Apple first shipped its 3nm custom silicon in a smartphone in September 2023. The iPhone 15 Pro line features the A17 Pro chip. Apple will ship its second 3nm chip with the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro this fall by the time Samsung manages to get its first 3nm chip out the door.

Apple’s year-long head start on shipping 3nm chips is attributed to several factors including its strong relationship with TSMC, early investments and collaboration, supply chain management, and financial resources.

So far, Apple has shipped three 3nm process chips: A17 Pro, M3, and M4. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Apple is already preparing the way for its first 2nm chips as well. Earlier this week, a “secret meeting” between Apple and TSMC was reported to have occurred with 2nm chip fabrication likely a topic of discussion. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to graduate to the 2nm process starting with the iPhone 17 Pro in September 2025.

To recap, Apple will ship its second-gen 3nm iPhone chip as Samsung prepares its first 3nm chip. A year later, Apple will likely ship its first 2nm chip while Samsung continues to play catchup.