Samsung Builds HBM Chips for Phones via New Packaging
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- Samsung is developing high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for smartphones and tablets using ultra‑high aspect‑ratio copper pillars combined with Fan‑Out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP) to boost bandwidth and reduce heat.
- Samsung has increased the copper‑pillar aspect ratio in its vertical copper post stack (VCS) from the typical 3‑5:1 to 15‑20:1, which raises bandwidth but shrinks pillar diameters, risking breakage below 10 µm unless reinforced by FOWLP.
- Samsung plans to introduce the mobile HBM technology first in its Exynos lineup, targeting the upcoming Exynos 2800 (the first SoC with an in‑house GPU) or the later Exynos 2900.
- Apple is reported to be exploring HBM for its iPhones, though it is unclear whether the supplier will be Samsung.
- Huawei is also investigating HBM for its devices, but the article deems it unlikely that Samsung will become a supplier for Chinese OEMs.
- ETNews notes that the high cost of mobile DRAM may limit early adoption of on‑device HBM until prices stabilize.
Why it matters: Samsung stands to capture a new high‑margin segment as mobile AI demand spikes, while device makers could gain faster on‑device processing without relying on cloud. However, the steep price of HBM and engineering challenges may keep adoption limited until DRAM costs fall, squeezing rivals that lack similar packaging tech.
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