Report: Samsung's 1.4nm process may resume mass production in 2029, potentially providing multiple advanced process supply options for Apple.

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Samsung’s foundry business is putting the 1.4nm process back on the agenda, and as Apple accelerates its next-generation advanced process layout, Samsung sees another opportunity to enter Apple’s supply chain.

According to Korean tech media The Bell, Samsung has adjusted its mass production target for the 1.4nm process (SF1.4) from the originally planned 2027 to 2029. Previously, there were market rumors that development for this node had been shelved, but the latest news shows that Samsung has not abandoned it, but chosen to postpone it.

Meanwhile, Apple is facing continued capacity constraints with TSMC’s advanced processes, and has already started laying out a supply for 1.4nm chips, providing potential future demand to support Samsung’s commercialization.

Mass production delayed for two years, Samsung prioritizes stabilizing 2nm yield

Samsung was previously rumored to have given up development of the SF1.4 node, but The Bell reports that the company actually just adjusted its R&D priorities—focusing resources on yield improvement for the 2nm GAA process (SF2) and the second generation 2nm GAA process (SF2P), thus shifting the SF1.4 mass production schedule back two years to 2029.

Even so, Samsung will still lag behind TSMC by at least one year. The report states that TSMC is expected to begin mass production of the 1.4nm process in 2028, maintaining its lead in advanced processes.

Samsung DS division president Han Jin-man previously stated that improved 2nm process yields have significantly boosted the company’s profitability. This also means that with the 2nm process gradually entering stable mass production, Samsung is in a position to reallocate resources to the next-generation 1.4nm process, laying a foundation for subsequent commercialization.

Apple seeks advanced process diversification, Samsung sees potential opportunity

One important external driving force for Samsung to accelerate the 1.4nm process comes from Apple’s increasing need for supply chain diversification.

It is reported that with the AI boom driving up demand for advanced processes, Apple may turn to the 1.4nm node after adopting two generations of TSMC’s 2nm process, in order to avoid further intensification of future competition for advanced process capacity.

Currently, TSMC’s monthly 3nm wafer production capacity has reached about 175,000 wafers, but supply remains tight—a situation expected to continue into the 2nm era. Meanwhile, advanced process costs keep rising. Industry estimates put TSMC’s 1.4nm wafer price at around $45,000 per wafer, compared to about $30,000 for 2nm, a difference of roughly $15,000, which will not only increase Apple’s chip procurement costs but may also be passed on to end-product prices.

Against this backdrop, Apple has already begun seeking more options for next-generation chip suppliers. It is reported that Intel’s 18A-P process has been included in the scope of evaluation for Apple’s future M7 chip, indicating that Apple is not averse to bringing in new advanced process suppliers beyond TSMC to reduce supply risks.

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