according to report from the informationGoogle originally planned to replace the modified Samsung Exynos chipset it uses in its Pixel phones with an in-house designed “Redondo” chip sometime in 2024. However, the report claims that Google has now pushed its planned release window to 2025 and will instead introduce A new custom handler codenamed “Laguna”.
said a former Google executive the information that the challenges of retaining staff and coordinating development between the American and Indian teams are at least partially responsible for the delay. The team behind the project has been frustrated by Google’s decision to cancel development of several Tensor chips over the past two years, according to Outlet’s Journal. source. We have contacted Google to confirm these reports.
The story sounds similar to Meta’s struggle trying to design custom chips for virtual reality and mixed reality gear, and then choosing to strike a deal with Qualcomm to use Snapdragon XR chips for its “future roadmap for Quest products” and “other devices.”
It looks like the Redondo processor will be used to design Google’s new Tensor G5 chip
Google seems to be sticking with semi-custom versions of Samsung chips for now, but plans to move manufacturing to TSMC — the chip giant behind Apple’s iPhone chips and many, many others. According to the report, “Laguna” will also use an advanced packaging technology used almost exclusively by Apple that delivers greater power efficiency while maintaining a thin chip form factor.
According to the report, the Tensor team was unable to provide TSMC with the Redondo design by the 2022 deadline for pilot production, even though some of its features were cut. Said the former CEO of Google the information Instead, Redondo will be produced as a test chip that will help Tensor engineers design the new Laguna processor.
This will reportedly be called Tensor G5 and built on TSMC’s 3nm process. Advancements in power efficiency and performance mean these 3nm chips are in high demand – Apple claims 90 percent reserved Manufactured by TSMC for the first generation 3nm process earlier this year.
The Exynos-based Tensor chips used in current Pixel phones have had overheating issues
Google aims to completely dump Samsung by 2025 in favor of designing Tensor processors in-house, however the information He claims that the search giant will continue to license Arm CPUs and GPUs for the foreseeable future. There are several potential benefits for Google to move Tensor development away from Samsung, though — Samsung Exynos-based Tensor chips have been criticized for running hot even with modest workloads, for example, and even Exynos based phones from Samsung It has some glaring performance issues. Doing internal development could allow Google more latitude to make specific changes to its chip designs, benefiting future Pixel phones, tablets, watches, or any other device in its plans.
However, it is expensive to design your own custom processors, and Google may not have a presence in the market to ensure that they will generate returns on such a large investment. Google doesn’t disclose how many Pixel units it sells, but according to IDC data reported by bloomberg Last October, the company sold 27.6 million Pixel phones since the device was launched in 2016. By comparison, Samsung and Apple shipped more than 257 million and 232 million phone units, respectively, in 2022. Singleaccording Research firm Canalys.