Samsung are reportedly weeks away from announcing a shake up to their processor manufacturing division.
That could see massive changes for the industry.
In the fight to be crowned the best Android phone on the market, the nitty gritty details are key. So many brands have entered the market that it takes something extra special to stand out.
One of the most crucial changes in recent years has been the move to 3nm processing. So far, Android chips like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 have missed out on this, but we have seen it in the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
That 3nm process is key, offering more power and efficiency in a chip of the same size. Now, Samsung may be about to blow 3nm processors out of the water.
According to recent reports, the brand is set to announce plans for both 2nm and 1nm manufacturing in the coming weeks. That's set to take place at an event in the USA.
The report suggests that Samsung's plans for 1nm chips are going to be brought forward by a year. Previously, those had been expected around 2027, but the expectation is now that we could see them in 2026.
That would be a really significant step for the industry. Each new revision of processing architecture should bring improvements in what is possible.
Whether that is directed into extra processing power, better power efficiency, or a hybrid of the two, the result is a better experience for users. That's especially key as we move into the AI generation, with those processes requiring more firepower.
It's not yet clear whether the chips in question are destined for the smartphone market. Samsung has had some trouble in that market in recent years, with previous Exynos processors receiving critique for their sub-par performance.
I really hope they are, though. Adding another chipset manufacturer into the market can only be a good thing for the end user. The additional competition should drive down prices, while pushing to improve the performance at the same time.
For now, we'll have to wait and see what's announced in a few weeks time.