Google Pixel 10: According to reports, the Google Pixel 10 chipset may be manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The smartphone is slated to launch by the end of 2025, but there are reports that Google may stop using Samsung Foundry starting with the Pixel 9 and Tensor G4. Although the launch is still more than a year away, the company has already started production of prototype units of the chip to begin the production process.
Tensor G5 Chip in Google Pixel 10: Details
According to Android Authority, the chip was discovered in a publicly available database of shipping manifests. Previous reports indicate that the chip’s codename is “Laguna Beach”, which may be referenced in the database.
It also points to an “A0” version of the chip, which is said to be the first version of the G5 Tensor and could see further revisions before it is ready for the Pixel 10 series. The listing also says “NPI-OPEN”, which apparently stands for “New Product Introduction”.
The report also speculates that the chip has passed SLT (System Level Testing), so it could be somewhat functional. SLT is a test where the chip is placed in a simulated user environment and mimics end-user interactions.
So even though the launch of Google Pixel 10 is still a year away, it seems that the manufacturing process of the chipset has already started.
For years now, Google’s Pixel series of phones have been powered by Tensor chips made in collaboration with Samsung Foundry. No complaints about performance, but thermal management and productivity are areas where the phone struggles. This problem also plagued the Pixel 8 series, which not only struggled to dissipate heat properly, but also had mediocre battery life.
In the smartphone market, most devices are equipped with TSMC’s chips. According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung Foundry’s market share in the first quarter of 2024 was just 13 percent compared to TSMC’s 62 percent.
