Beijing Official Lauds Xiaomi’s 3-nm Chip Design Amid Tech War: Silence from Smartphone Titan Raises Questions

Technology Battle: Chinese authority commends Xiaomi's chip architecture while the mobile titan remains silent

A government representative from Beijing showers accolades on Xiaomi for their 3-nanometre processor design, however, the smartphone manufacturer is yet to respond.

In a statement made by Tang Jianguo, the leading economist for the city's economy and information technology department responsible for Beijing's advanced tech sector, it was revealed that Xiaomi has effectively created China's first 3-nm-grade mobile chip. This information was shared in a news segment by the national broadcasting company, Beijing Radio and Television Station (BRTV), on Sunday. However, specific details were not provided.

"Tape-out" is the term used for the last phase in the design procedure prior to the mass production of chips. A report that emerged on Sunday was rapidly disseminated by many local news sources. Yet, these were promptly taken down from the internet in China.

BRTV has not issued any formal rectification for its initial report. Xiaomi has not responded promptly to a request for a statement on Monday.

Xiaomi operates an internal unit for designing semiconductors, which is used for tailoring chips for its unique projects, mainly using imported chips. The unit, which was set up in 2017, has developed a variety of chips, such as the S1, a mobile system-on-chip, and C1, an image sensor.