Intel partners with Arm to develop mobile SoCs on its 18A node

Even though we're yet to see third-party chips manufactured on Intel's foundries, it has snagged quite a few high-profile clients, such as Qualcomm and MediaTek. Now, the chipmaker has partnered with Arm to develop a wide variety of hardware on its 18A GAA (Gate All Around) RibbonFET node, potentially allowing it to loosen TSMC's grip on the semiconductor market.

Intel says the collaboration will focus on "mobile SoCs", indicating it plans to compete with TSMC and Samsung Foundries. Some efforts will also be put towards IoT and enterprise applications. Both companies plan to use a design technology co-optimization (DTCO) to create reference designs, which other OEMs can further customize with the help of Intel's packaging, software and chiplet technologies.

However, it'll be a while before we see the fruits of the collaboration in action. Intel's own roadmap says its 18A won't be ready for mass production until Q4 2025. Given its recent woes, the date could be potentially pushed back to 2026 or maybe even 2027. By then, both TSMC and Samsung Foundries should have their 2 nm nodes up and running, significantly ramping up the competition. 

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