According to the Korean media "BusinessKorea", TSMC switched its 3-nanometer process R&D team to a 1.4-nanometer team in June, because the Samsung Foundry Forum announced in 2021 that the 2-nanometer process will be mass-produced in 2025, ahead of TSMC. TSMC is only now going a step further, leading Samsung to develop a 1.4nm process.

TSMC and Samsung have been racing to develop sub-10nm processes. But TSMC has been far ahead in terms of market share. According to market research and investigation agency TrendForce, TSMC’s market share in the fourth quarter of 2021 will reach 52.1%, far exceeding Samsung’s 18.3%.

However, Samsung is still catching up with TSMC, aiming to mass-produce 3nm using next-generation GAA transistor technology in the second half of the year.

In addition to this, Intel has recently joined the technology race. Intel previously announced that it will develop advanced processes below 2nm before TSMC and Samsung, and expects to prepare for mass production of the 1.8nm process in the second half of 2024. However, industry insiders are taking a wait-and-see attitude.