Chip designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) has formed a strategic partnership with Intel Corp to manufacture chips using the US company’s matured process technology as the Taiwanese firm aims to build more resilient and balanced foundry sources, the companies said yesterday.
The agreement will help MediaTek add a new foundry partner with significant capacity in the US and Europe, according to the joint statement said.
“Building on the existing 5G data card venture with Intel, MediaTek is extending the partnership into Intel Foundry Service (IFS) to mature Intel 16 node to support our fast-growing smart edge devices,” MediaTek said in a joint statement.
Photo: David Chang, EPA-EFE
MediaTek said it is to adopt Intel's Intel 16 process node, which is comparable to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC, 台積電) 22-nanomter process node, to produce chips used in TVs, routers and other smart-home devices.
“In addition to maintaining a close partnership with TSMC in advanced process nodes, this collaboration [with Intel] will enhance MediaTek’s supply for mature process nodes,” the company said. “We believe this collaboration will help our further market expansion in global smart edge devices”
MediaTek is one of the early adopters of TSMC’s most advanced process technologies such as 4-nanometer and 7-nanometer technologies to build their smartphone chips.
MediaTek is “our long-term customer and we have a strong partnership in advanced technology collaboration. There is no impact on TSMC’s business with MediaTek,” TSMC said of MediaTek’s deal with Intel.
MediaTek has long adopted a multi-sourcing strategy, N.S. Tsai (蔡能賢), corporate senior vice president of the firm’s platform technology and manufacturing operations, said in the statement.
The company already partners with Intel on the 5G data card business, and aims to deepen their collaboration to smart edge devices through IFS, Tsai said.
Intel established IFS last year to help meet rising demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity. The company recently announced factory expansions at existing sites, as well as plans for major investments in new sites in Ohio and Germany.
“We have the right combination of advanced process technology and geographically diverse capacity to help MediaTek deliver the next billion connected devices across a range of applications,” IFS president Randhir Thakur said in the joint statement.
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