Samsung is reportedly unwilling to offer Qualcomm low-priced 2nm production, delaying talks and risking that Qualcomm’s 2nm chips may not enter production at Samsung until at least next year.
Samsung’s stance and recent wins
The foundry once sat on ample capacity and was burning billions of dollars every year, but its situation has changed after picking up significant orders. Samsung has previously used competitive pricing to lure customers away from TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, yet sources say it is not presently budging on price demands from Qualcomm.
Qualcomm is said to be demanding price reductions for 2nm chipmaking, while Samsung is holding firm. The companies are in discussions, and the current delay in negotiations is cited as a reason Qualcomm’s 2nm production at Samsung could be pushed to at least next year.
Samsung recently won significant orders from Tesla and Broadcom, and has attracted further interest from other companies that either cannot find capacity at TSMC or do not want to pay TSMC’s higher prices. Those wins are presented as a reason Samsung can afford to wait rather than offer steep discounts to Qualcomm.
