Intel and MediaTek established foundry cooperative relationship: just a small step

Recently, IFIXIT, a foreign professional dismantling agency, disassembled a latest MacBook (M2 processor model) and found that the previous generation of Intel USB4 timer chip has been replaced by another brand, which also means that Intel in Apple notebooks in Apple notebooks The last chip was removed, which also meant that Intel and Apple's former "fairy family couple" completely "broke up". The "breakup" of Intel and Apple also caused a lot of doubts about the once -scenes of Intel foundry business. However, almost at the same time, Intel announced that it would cooperate with MediaTek. This is another important customer who has gained after the launch of foundry business at the beginning of last year.

The key step of Intel IDM 2.0

10nm is difficult to produce, 7nm is difficult to produce ... In recent years, Intel's manufacturing business can be described as fate, but Intel has never given up his efforts, and even issued a "re -return industry peak in 2025" last year. However, wafer foundry is a "slow work" work, and it is not easy for Intel to achieve achievements in this field. Data show that Intel's global market share in professional wafers is only 1.4%, the gap between TSMC is as high as dozens of times.

Idm2.0 technology line diagram

Earlier, Intel Zeng Guanxuan and Qualcomm and Amazon cooperated with the foundry business, but the cooperation with Qualcomm was Intel's new generation of advanced process technology Intel 20A, and this cooperation only started in 2024, and it was not the first time that cooperation was launched at the moment. The cooperation with Amazon is only in advanced packaging, not advanced process business.

Compared with these two American local manufacturers, the cooperation with Medico is more significant to Intel. As far as Intel is concerned, MediaTek is an overseas company. If it can achieve smooth foundry production, it will increase the influence of its foundry business overseas. The cooperation with MediaTek can be landed immediately. If it progresses smoothly, the first batch of products can be produced after one and a half years. This is the immediate results of Intel's foundry business, and it is also a key step for Intel IDM 2.0.

Squeeze off TSMC? A bit exaggerated!

The combination of Intel and MediaTek could not help but make Intel's competitors "depressed". Because for a long time, MediaTek and TSMC have cooperated for more than 20 years, and MediaTek ranked third among TSMC's customers. When a reporter asked TSMC, TSMC stated that he would not comment on this, which was even more interpreted by the industry as its "depression" performance.

Data source: TSMC 2021 annual report

However, the cooperation between Intel and MediaTek does not mean that Intel squeezed TSMC. In fact, this cooperation does not have much impact on TSMC.

It is understood that the cooperation between Intel and MediaTek will focus on IoT, Wi-Fi and other chips. Intel even develops a new "Intel 16" process for MediaTek. This process is based on Intel's 22nm FFL (FinFET LOW POWER ) Improved. 22nm FFL is a very mature process of Intel and has been completed in 2018.

TSMC's revenue in 2021 shows that the main revenue is the advanced process and not a mature process. TSMC's 7nm and below process revenue reached 50%in 2021. In addition, TSMC's revenue in the IoT field accounted for only 8%in 2021.

Data source: TSMC 2021 annual report

Intel's share of TSMC's "snatching" TSMC did not have much impact on TSMC.

The road of "counterattack" is long

The cooperation between MediaTek and Intel is still in the early stages. In the future, it is difficult for MediaTek to formally invest in Intel to mass production. After MediaTek, whether other manufacturers and Intel will cooperate in the mature process is the key to judging whether Intel has succeeded in wafer foundry.

"Today, the cooperation between MediaTek and Intel is the water test stage. In Intel, if you want to maintain a good cooperative relationship, the technical level is only one of them, and the other key point is the service is the service. Quality, which is equally important for customer cooperation. This is why there are still many customers who are willing to cooperate with them. The key points to be used for reference. "Wang Xiaolong, director of the research director of Xinmou told the China Electronics News reporter.

In addition, the identity of Intel IDM will also make customers feel jealous, which will affect cooperation with customers. This is because the competition relationship between IDM companies and customers often cannot avoid, and this is the key to why pure design companies are willing to find pure founders such as TSMC for cooperation. "Although in Intel's IDM 2.0 strategy, Intel is also trying to seek external cooperation to break the inherent impression of others '" cars behind closed doors', but for many years, the image of Intel IDM has already been deeply rooted in people's hearts and wants to get rid of this in a short time. The image is not easy. Therefore, if Intel wants to develop more smoothly in the field of foundry in the future, it needs to come up with enough sincerity and show customers a more sincere service attitude, and will not have too much competition with customers. Relationship is the key. "Wang Xiaolong said.

Although Intel has launched the "first cannon", can the "counterattack" in the field of wafer foundry be smooth in the future?Still unknown.Further reading:

Intel's "Road to Fuxing"

Editor -in -chief Dialogue | Song Jiqiang, Vice President of Intel Research Institute: Moore's Law is an innovation banner, and continues

What is the mysteries of MediaTek 6nm 5G chip?

Author 丨 Shen Cong

Edit 丨 Chen Bingxin

Beauty 丨 Mary

Supervision 丨 Lian Xiaodong

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