Last year, Samsung became the largest manufacturer of semiconductor components in the world. However, it intends to continue to strengthen its position, so it wants to supply its own Exynos processors to external customers. The South Korean giant in the semiconductor segment fought back and dethroned Intel, which had held the top spot for 24 long years, from first place in the ranking of the largest manufacturers of semiconductor components.
Samsung is benefiting from the smartphone market, which is constantly growing, which cannot be said for the PC market, from which Intel's money flows.
The South Korean company has revealed that it is currently in talks with several smartphone manufacturers, including Chinese brand ZTE, to supply them with its Exynos mobile chips. Samsung currently supplies chips to one external customer, which is the Chinese company Meizu.
Inyup Kang, the head of Samsung System LSI, told Reuters that his company is currently discussing the supply of Exynos chips with many smartphone makers. In addition, it is expected that in the first half of next year, Samsung will reveal which other companies it will supply mobile chips to. With this move, Samsung will become a direct competitor to Qualcomm.
Chinese giant ZTE, which uses chips from American Qualcomm in its phones, has been banned by the US Department of Commerce from buying components from American companies for seven years. So this means that unless the ban is lifted, ZTE will not be able to use Qualcomm chips in its phones for seven years.
The Chinese company ZTE did not comply with the agreement it made with the US government. Last year, it admitted in court that it violated US sanctions and bought US parts, put them in its devices and illegally shipped them to Iran. Tech giant ZTE currently needs to diversify its supply chain. Kang says Samsung will try to get ZTE to buy Exynos chips from him.
