South Korean electronics giant Samsung hopes to promote its foundry business by partnering Swiss semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics.
Yonhap News Agency reported Friday Samsung will develop 32- and 28-nano chip technology as part of the cooperation with Geneva-based STMicroelectronics, which is the seventh-largest chipmaker in the world. The partnership will help Samsung expand its foundry business.
Samsung said its foundry has started making the Swiss company's 32- and 28-nanometer system on chips (SoC) for mobile devices, home appliances and network systems.
The South Korean tech giant recently invested some US$4 billion in a chip-making plant renovation in the United States, to meet growing demand for its smartphones.
It was also embroiled in a patent battle with Apple, and currently disputing a U.S. court verdict ordering it to pay the Cupertino firm US$1.05 billion in damages. Samsung is one of Apple's chip suppliers, which has reportedly been cutting back on their partnership to reduce its reliance on its rival.