2025-06-09 - Advanced Packaging - Smartphone Processors

Explore trends in smartphone APU packaging, including PoP, fan-out, and FC-BGA, as device makers balance size, performance, and thermal demands.

As the heart of the smartphone, the application processor (APU) is a highly integrated SoC including the CPU, GPU, AI engine, and other functions. About 85% of APUs are integrated with the baseband processor (modem) on-chip. The other 15 percent of the market, made up of Apple and Google, rely on standalone APUs and baseband chips, discrete devices packaged separately. Smartphone APU packaging innovations have been necessary, due to the need for more chips in smaller spaces, while managing heat dissipation, and keeping the chips safe in devices that are often subject to shock and moisture. This report covers the major packages in use, including PoP, fan-out, FC-BGA, and MCeP and provides a forecast for how smartphone APU packaging will evolve over the forecast period.