Google to switch to TSMC for Tensor Chips starting with Pixel 10

If you are in the know of the smartphone world over the last few years, you must be aware that Google is working towards building its SoC ecosystem, similar to what Apple has done.

One of the flagbearers for them in this process has been the Tensor class of SoCs, which have shown incremental improvements over time, but have failed to create a splash as big as Google would want them to.

Now, in an attempt to make sure that happens, starting with the Google Pixel 10 series of phones, the company now plans to shift to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, aka TSMC, for making their smartphone processors, as reported by DigiTimes.

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For the folks keeping themselves up to date with the news of silicon manufacturing, would know that TSMC is the birthplace of some of the most popular known processors, of all kinds, including a 3nm processor, whose production at scale started in 2024.

The change comes amid concerns over Samsung’s production yields, particularly with its Exynos 2500 SoC. The first fruit of the TSMC partnership, the Tensor G5, codenamed “Laguna”, will be produced using TSMC’s advanced N3E process, a refinement of the 3nm node.

Compared to Samsung’s 4nm process used in the Tensor G4, the new N3E node promises enhanced performance, reduced power consumption, and improved thermal efficiency, addressing many of the criticisms of earlier Tensor chips.

The Tensor G5 will feature a tri-cluster layout, which consists of a single high-performance Cortex-X4 core, five mid-tier Cortex-A725 cores, and two power-efficient Cortex-A520 cores.

Its centerpiece remains Google’s proprietary TPU, responsible for handling on-device AI tasks like voice recognition and photo processing. The aim is to minimise reliance on cloud computing by processing more data locally.

Google is also embracing TSMC’s InFO-POP chip packaging to improve heat management and reduce chip thickness. In addition to the foundry switch, the company is moving away from several Samsung components. The image signal processor is now in-house, while the display controller, video codec, and modem are sourced from VeriSilicon, Chips&Media, and MediaTek, respectively.

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Altogether, this shift underscores Google’s push for greater hardware independence and a more tightly integrated ecosystem for its Pixel devices