Smartphone chips have gotten exponentially better over the last few years, and that can mostly be attributed to advancements in manufacturing processes.
Shifting to smaller nanometer nodes has made it possible for foundries like TSMC and Samsung to fit more transistors in essentially the same space, which essentially translates to better performance and power efficiency.
Samsung’s new Exynos 2500 chipset and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite both use a 3nm process, and the same is expected to be true for Google’s Tensor G5, which will reportedly power the upcoming Pixel 10 series.
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Samsung reportedly starts working on a 2nm chip to compete with Apple’s upcoming A19
The next-gen chipset will presumably make its debut on the Galaxy S26
Samsung, however, is already thinking ahead as it has started working on a 2nm chip for its 2026 flagships. Now, new leaks stemming out of Taiwan suggest that Google isn’t too far behind.
We already know that Google has ditched Samsung and teamed up with TSMC for this year’s Tensor G5 chip. The same will likely be true for next year’s Tensor G6, which will be made using TSMC’s 2nm process, as revealed by Taiwanese publication ctee (via 9to5Google).
Pixel 11 could be a powerhouse
Google’s Tensor chips have normally lagged behind its competition. The first Tensor utilized a 5nm process, which Google retained for the Tensor G2. Rivals, at the time, had already moved onto 4nm. The subsequent Tensor G3 and Tensor G4 both utilized 4nm while competitors moved onto 3nm.
The upcoming Tensor G5 will finally catch up with the competition with the release ofd the Pixel 10 series later this year, and with next year’s leap to TSMC’s 2nm process for the Tensor G6, Google could not only catch up, but also surpass Qualcomm when it comes to performance. This is because TSMC reportedly plans to manufacture Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Gen2 on its 3 nm process, with an exclusuve 2nm one for Galaxy devices.
We should start hearing more concrete information about Google’s plans for the Pixel 11 series and its Tensor G6 chipset after the tech giant launches the Pixel 10 series in the coming months.
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