Samsung Electronics to focus only on 6nm fab technology

The battle of the top chips continues. Samsung Electronics is reportedly focusing on the next generation of 6nm chip fabrication technology. In order to do so, the Korean tech giant will stop further investments in the 7nm chip manufacturing technology.

Samsung is expected to introduce 8nm chips next year as an improved version of the 10nm technology, which has already been found in some of the best Android smartphones in 2017 so far. The Koreans will produce a limited number of 7nm line and focus its investment on the 6nm market.

Samsung should be installing two new ASML machines, vital for improving chip manufacturing efficiency, this year, and seven more in 2018. The manufacturing of Samsung's 6nm process and chips using it is expected to begin starting in 2019.

Korean company made a similar decision in the past, like skipping the 20nm process for the faster production of 14nm generation of chips based on 14nm FinFET.

These tactics have been used by Samsung's competitor from Taiwan TSMC as well. They have skipped 10nm to produce 7nm technology faster than Samsung Electronics.