Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is planning to develop its own smartphone chipset in the near future. The company is said to have already begun the initial development of a mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) with a team of more than 100 engineers. OPPO wants to create its own AI-enabled smartphone chipset. The company will integrate an AI-based algorithm and custom Image Signal Processor directly into the chip to enhance the photography experience on its future devices.
Reports suggest that Oppo has already hired top talents related to AI and chipset developers from top retail chipset manufacturers including MediaTek, Qualcomm, Huawei, and more. The company wants to reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductor suppliers and joins a race of smartphone makers — including Apple, Samsung and Huawei that are developing their own processors.
Why everyone is developing chips
These days almost every major smartphone manufacturers are planning to develop its own chip. With the launch of pixel 6 lineup Google also introduced its tensor chip and there’ve been previous reports that Xiaomi is in final stages to develop its own chip. But why’s everyone making their own chips all of a sudden. While It is not an easy task develop own SoCs,with the right strategy, the payoff might be huge. . Global smartphone makers are increasingly looking at making their own chips to secure supplies and avoid disruptions especially after the ongoing chip shortage.
Many smartphone makers have started producing their own chipset or have entered into agreements with silicon chip companies in order to ensure that they’ll have stable supply going forward. Having custom made chips allows smartphone companies a greater degree of control when it comes down to integrating hardware and software in a device, while also highlighting each company’s uniqueness from their competitors in terms of performance, appearance, and capabilities. This way, they can control the whole mobile device, and they don’t have to worry about the mobile device being made with generic mobile chips. These mobile chips are specifically designed to work with specific mobile devices and to fit the needs of the specific mobile company. These mobile chips can be used to reduce the energy consumption for mobile devices.
Oppo Chipset
OPPO wants to use 3nm fabrication process to develop its futuristic Oppo chipset. The company have already finalized the deal with the largest contract smartphone chipset manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), Developing chip in-house could also enhance the control of oppo’s supply chain and possibly soften widespread shortages and disruptions.
