Samsung Reportedly Developing An Exynos Chipset On Its Second-Generation 2nm Process Codenamed ‘Ulysses,’ And Could Be Featured In The Galaxy S27 Series

The recent yield problems with the Exynos 2500 suggest that Samsung may not mass produce the chipset fast enough to use it in its upcoming Galaxy S25 series, which is slated to launch in early 2025. The Korean giant’s woes surrounding its 3nm GAA process are hardly a closely guarded secret, with the company failing to attract new customers and losing millions of revenue in the process. Proceeding forward, a new report states that Samsung intends to cut its losses and shift focus on its second-generation 2nm node, which will be used for an unnamed Exynos SoC codenamed ‘Ulysses’ and designed for the Galaxy S27.

The second-generation 2nm process is also called SF2P, with the unnamed Exynos for the Galaxy S27 reportedly undergoing development around the end of 2024

Before the latest report from Sedaily, Samsung was said to have commenced development of its 2nm technology codenamed ‘Thetis,’ so it is possible that Ulysses belongs to a particular variant of the company’s advanced manufacturing processes. The latest information claims that the future Exynos will leverage an improved version of the 2nm process, also called SF2P, with the technology’s focus being improved performance and power efficiency.

The report mentions that the first-generation 2nm process is under development, with wafer production expected to kick off in 2026. As for the second-generation variant, the target specifications of SF2P is 12 percent increased performance compared to the first iteration, followed by reducing power consumption by 25 percent and area size by 8 percent. Samsung’s foundry responsible for mass producing wafers is currently printing test chips and verifying the design to make improvements in the future if necessary.

As ambitious as Samsung’s plans are to shift towards advanced lithography, it will matter little if it cannot increase its yields, which is an obstacle that has yet to be scaled with the 3nm GAA. The firm has attempted to bring its foundry business back on track by trimming the executive headcount and prioritizing profitability, so at least Samsung is aware of the necessary changes that need to be implemented. Qualcomm was previously rumored to want to include Samsung to mass produce next year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, but that is only possible if the foundry giant addresses its yields.

News Source: Sedaily