[News] Xiaomi Reportedly Plans XRING O2 for 2026, Staying With TSMC’s 3nm Rather Than 2nm

According to Chinese media outlet Mydrivers, sources say that Xiaomi’s next-generation XRING O2 will debut next year, possibly launching first with the Xiaomi 16S Pro. However, as the report indicates, like the previous XRING O1, it is still expected to be manufactured on a 3nm process rather than on TSMC’s 2nm technology.

Since the XRING O1 was reportedly produced on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm “N3E” process, the XRING O2 could potentially move to the third-generation 3nm “N3P,” according to Wccftech.

As it is expected to remain on 3nm, Xiaomi’s XRING O2 may find itself trailing rivals like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 and Apple’s upcoming A20 and A20 Pro, which are reportedly moving to TSMC’s 2nm process, according to another Wccftech report.

Barriers to Xiaomi’s 2nm Transition

Wccftech points out that a potential increase in TSMC’s wafer prices could be a key factor behind Xiaomi’s decision to stay with 3nm instead of moving to 2nm. The report notes that TSMC’s 2nm wafers are estimated to cost around $30,000 each, before accounting for the millions required for tape-out to verify whether the test silicon meets performance expectations.

In addition, the U.S. had previously imposed export controls on advanced EDA tools to China. Although those restrictions have since been lifted, the issue still adds uncertainty to Xiaomi’s pursuit of 2nm development, as indicated by Wccftech.

Broader Applications for XRING O2, Including Cars

Notably, Wccftech reports that the XRING O2 is not only planned for smartphones and tablets, but Xiaomi is also evaluating its use in cars and other applications.

However, the XRING O2 is reportedly aimed at in-car entertainment rather than autonomous driving, with Xiaomi expected to position it as a replacement for Qualcomm’s automotive chips. For intelligent driving, the company is still likely to rely on NVIDIA’s Thor, ITHeat notes.

Wccftech also points out that the complex backend work required to integrate the XRING O2 across multiple product categories could extend development timelines, potentially delaying the chipset’s launch beyond earlier expectations.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Xiaomi)