Following in the footsteps of Apple, Google embarked on the journey of using its own proprietary chip in Pixel smartphones. The Pixel 6 series is the first series to feature Google’s proprietary processor called Tensor, manufactured using the 5nm node process, although it is based on Samsung’s Exynos chips. The Pixel 7 continued to use Samsung’s semi-custom processor, just like the Pixel 8. But apparently Google plans to drop it in favor of Korean company TSMC to launch its fully custom Tensor G5 chip in 2025.

A truly special Tensor chip will appear in 2025

The ex-president of Google said Information (with 9to5Google ), said the initial plan is to launch a truly custom Tensor chip as early as next year. However, production of the chip, codenamed Redondo, was delayed due to issues with employee retention and development coordination between multiple teams. According to the publication, the chip is expected to be ready by 2025.

Confirming earlier reports, a source claims today that Google did indeed move from Samsung to semiconductor manufacturing company Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture the Tensor G5 chip. The chip is said to be based on TSMC’s 3 nanometer manufacturing process and will use Integrated Fan-Out technology to reduce thickness and increase power efficiency.

We will have to wait a little longer before we see the fully configured Tensor chip. The Pixel 8 series, which will be released this year, will continue to have a processor designed and manufactured by Samsung. Similarly, Pixel smartphones scheduled to launch in 2024 will also include a processor from the Korean company, though this time with fewer Samsung components.

The fully custom chip will help Google create tighter integration between hardware and software, making phones work much better than they do now.