Samsung was developing a new chip package technology to prevent overheating in application processors (AP), TheElce has learned.
The package attaches a heat path block, or HPB, on top of the SoC, and is expected to be used on future Exynos chips, sources said.
The technology, called by its full name fan-out wafer-level package-HPB (FOWLP-HPB), was being developed by Samsung’s Advanced Package (AVP) business unit under its chip division.
The business unit is aiming to wrap up development by the fourth quarter and begin mass production then.
It is also developing a FOWLP-system-in-package (SIP) technology that can mount multiple dies as a follow-up, which will launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Both package types mount the HPB on top of the SoC, while the memory is placed next to the HPB.
HPB is a heatsink already in use in SoCs for servers and PCs. The technology is introduced for chips on smartphones only now due to their smaller form factor.
Smartphones today mostly use a vapor chamber that holds refrigerants to cool down the AP and other core components. HPB are only used on SoCs.
Samsung was considering 2.5D or 3D packages to adopt the technology.
The rising adoption of on-device AI has also increased concerns for AP overheating.
Two years ago, Samsung received heavy criticism for the overheating issue on its Galaxy S22 smartphones.
It attempted to prevent this with its Game Optimizing Service (GOS) app that forced the AP to lower its performance to stop it from overheating, without telling customers.
Samsung improved this problem by changing the AP design and adopting a vapor chamber on later models.
