According to reports, the Google Pixel 10 chipset could be manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The smartphone is scheduled to launch at 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, there is already speculation that the company has already started producing prototype units of the chip to start the production process.
Tensor G5 chip in the Google Pixel 10: Details
According to Android Authority, the chip was discovered in a publicly available database of shipping manifests. Previous reports suggest that the codename for the chip is “Laguna Beach,” which can be referenced in the database.
It also points to the “A0” version of the chip, which is said to be the first version of the G5 tensor and could see further revisions before it’s 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 may 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 we’re still over a year away from the launch of the Google Pixel 10, it looks like the manufacturing process for the chipset has already begun.
Why the postponement?
For several years now, Google’s Pixel series of phones have been powered by Tensor chips made in collaboration with Samsung Foundry. There are 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 chips from TSMC. According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung Foundry’s market share was just 13 percent in the first quarter of 2024, compared to TSMC’s 62 percent.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
