To counter Samsung that is. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) plans to speed up the development of its 10nm process to fend off competition from Samsung Electronics, which reportedly has landed 14nm FinFET chip orders from Qualcomm, according to industry sources.

TSMC and Samsung are currently competing fiercely in the development of FinFET process, with the Korea-based foundry house utilizing a 14nm process and TSMC a 16nm node. Both the 14nm and 16nm processes are scheduled to enter volume production in early 2015.

TSMC has been pioneering the development of the FinFET technology and originally planned to begin producing 16nm FinFET chips in the fourth quarter of 2014, said the sources.

Nevertheless, TSMC has rescheduled the commercial production of 16nm FinFET process, and instead plans to roll out a more advanced 16nm FinFET Plus process, which will consume less power and further reduce die sizes.

However, Samsung's development of its 14nm process has been faster than what TSMC has thought, pushing the Taiwan-based foundry house to accelerate the development of the 10nm technology in order to maintain its lead, commented the sources.

TSMC to speed up development of 10nm process