Yes I think that's exactly it. From what I've heard, Samsung has about the same problems Intel does, sharing know how might help both overcome that, so they can compete with TSMC, alone neither of them seem able to realistically match TSMC.
This almost ensures profitability, because with only 2 competing high end foundries, TSMC and Samsung/Intel, it's easier to silently "agree" on price levels than if they were 3.
Still 2 competitors is way better than a TSMC monopoly. So i hope it works out for them to be competitive with TSMC.
That's one way to kill off the remaining American foundry business, since if US can't compete now and Korean and Chinese workers are as good, then there is no reason to shift production off in the long term.
Korea and Taiwan are already ahead of the US in semiconductor fabrication so IDK what you're talking about. The US also isn't competitive on cost of production either. The only reason for anyone to build a fab here is for geopolitical reasons and because the government is giving away billions in tax dollars to subsidize it.
I don't see how this would seriously impact for instance Global Foundries? Lots of things aren't bleeding edge.
AFAIK Global Foundries survive on niche productions and on being a trusted partner. Despite not being nearly as well known as TSMC Intel and Samsung. Global foundries is the #3 biggest foundry in the world by revenue.
Did Intel ever get its foundry business off the ground? I remember some announcements in the last year or two, and then some rumors of yields not being good enough for the customers to move forward, and now some rumors of Intel thinking of spinning off the business. This partnership might be a watered down version of those plans.
Last I heard Intel claimed that their next process 18Angstrom should be on track and amazing.
But as far as I remember they said the same about the current 20Angstrom process.
It looks weird that they call it Angstrom when his name was Ångstrøm. I know that Angstrom is the international name of the unit, but still. If you can't spell or pronounce a name correctly, maybe you should call it something else.
It's like they are struggling to be edgy, but instead they look goofy.
Maybe we should call mr. Gelsinger for mr. Geringer here, which would mean smaller in German.