Qualcomm and MediaTek Likely Adopt TSMC's N3E Process

Industry insiders have revealed that Qualcomm is poised to become TSMC's second customer for the N3E process, while MediaTek is expected to use the same process for its 3nm chip set to launch later this year. TSMC's N3E is an upgraded version of its current 3nm production technology, which was introduced last year. Earlier reports from Nikkei Asia indicate that Apple is set to become the first company to use TSMC's latest process chips this year in iPhones and Macs.

Qualcomm reportedly plans to use TSMC's N3E process for its next-generation flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2023. The company already uses TSMC's 4nm process for its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which is found in the Samsung Galaxy S23 flagship smartphone series.

MediaTek is expected to begin using TSMC's 3nm manufacturing process in 2024 and will likely launch solutions manufactured using the N3E process as early as December of this year. Meanwhile, OPPO has ordered TSMC's 4nm process chips and plans to order 3nm chips from the foundry.

Industry sources suggest that Broadcom has also ordered 3nm chips from TSMC, joining a growing list of companies that includes Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Nvidia, and AMD in the queue for TSMC's N3 and N3E process.

TSMC recently held a 3nm mass production expansion ceremony on December 29, 2022, at its new site, Fab No. 18, located in the Southern Science Park (STSP) in Taiwan, China. Liu Deyin, chairman of TSMC, noted that market demand for TSMC's 3nm process is very strong, and the mass production of 3nm process technology will start in the first year, with annual revenue surpassing that of 5nm during the same period. According to estimates, the value of terminal products worldwide will reach $1.5 trillion within five years of mass production of 3nm technology.