Samsung Foundry: 1.4 nm node might get scrapped

Samsung Foundry's woes may have just got a lot worse. After sub-par SF3 yields that resulted in a delayed Exynos 2500 launch, it had to wind-down parts of its older 5 nm and 7 nm nodes due to low demand. Now, trusted leaker @Jukanlosreve says Samsung's upcoming 1.4 nm node (SF1.4) might get scrapped altogether.

A previous roadmap from Samsung Foundry stated SF1.4 would enter HVM sometime in 2027. It would exist alongside SF2A, an automotive-focused node and SF2Z - the company's first node with BSPDN (Backside Power Delivery Network). But, there's a non-zero chance SF1.4 might get pushed back to a later date than get canned entirely.

For now, Samsung Foundry will continue to develop the Exynos 2600 on SF2 alongside some AI chips for PFN. Some of its 4 nm nodes have also received fresh orders from some Chinese fabless companies affected by sanctions. But, major players lcontinue to evade Samsung in favour of TSMC and even Intel.

Korea Economic Daily says Samsung Foundry might get an overhaul due to its paltry 8.2% market share compared to TSMC's 67.1%. It is expected to result in some major restructuring within the company. Business Post says the Exynos department might get moved over to Samsung MX, giving it more control over future smartphone SoC designs.