Google’s Pixel 11 chip may skip 2nm, report says
▼ Summary
– Google’s Tensor G6, expected to be a 2nm chip, is reportedly a 3nm chip based on an interview with Google VP Peng Yu-chun.
– Samsung has already moved to 2nm with its Exynos 2600, while Apple and Qualcomm are also anticipated to introduce 2nm chips soon.
– The Tensor G5 was a 3nm chip, and rumors since last fall had suggested the Tensor G6 would advance to 2nm.
– Google has focused on broad performance metrics rather than detailed Tensor G6 hardware specs, and the report is unconfirmed due to translation uncertainty.
– Moving to 2nm offers performance benefits but also serves as a competitive advantage, which Google would have gained by beating Apple and Qualcomm to market.
The semiconductor industry has officially crossed into the next generation of manufacturing, with chipmakers beginning to roll out products built on advanced 2nm processes. Samsung fired the opening shot with its Exynos 2600, and all signs pointed to Google following suit. Enthusiasts had been eagerly tracking rumors since last autumn that the Tensor G6, expected to power the Pixel 11 series, would make the leap to 2nm. Those expectations, however, may have just been dashed by a new report.
Google’s Tensor G6 chip might not be the 2nm component many had anticipated. Instead, according to an interview published by the Central News Agency, the company has opted for an enhanced 3nm fabrication process. The comments, attributed to Google VP Peng Yu-chun, suggest the Tensor G6 will remain on the 3nm node, a departure from the trajectory that had been widely reported for months.
This news arrives as the Pixel 11 series makes its debut this week, though Google has remained characteristically tight-lipped about the hardware specifications of its latest silicon. The company has instead emphasized broad performance gains rather than diving into the granular details of the manufacturing process. That focus on outcomes over specs is understandable, but for those who track these milestones closely, the distinction between 3nm and 2nm carries significant weight.
The shift matters for more than just technical bragging rights. Apple is widely expected to introduce its own 2nm chip with the iPhone 18 Pro later this year, and even Qualcomm has yet to make the transition, though rumors suggest its Snapdragon lineup could soon follow. Had Google delivered a 2nm Tensor G6, it would have beaten both rivals to the punch, a notable achievement in the competitive mobile silicon arena.
The Tensor G5, which powers the current generation, was built on a 3nm process. Moving to a refined version of that node rather than jumping to 2nm represents a more conservative approach, though it may still deliver meaningful efficiency and performance improvements over its predecessor.
We have reached out to Google for official confirmation, as the report relies on a translation that could introduce some ambiguity. If the company offers clarification, we will update this story with any additional details, including perhaps some insight into why the development path for the Tensor G6 ultimately diverged from the rumors that had been circulating for months.
(Source: Android Authority)
