Google ready to make any sacrifices to improve (and make profitable) its Tensor chips

Systems-on-a-chip (SoC) Tensor allow Google to take its destiny into its own hands when it comes to its range of Pixel devices. But now, both technically and financially, the company doesn’t seem to be on top of things. In an internal document from the gChips division leaked from Android Authoritywe first learn that “ the Pixel program based on [les puces] Tensor failed to meet its financial targets ».

Google’s slimming sacrifices

This is quite surprising, because one of the reasons why Google decided to embark on the adventure of in-house chips is precisely to save money compared to what Qualcomm can market. The Pixel manufacturer would therefore still not have been able to sufficiently optimize the costs of Tensors. The target to reach is $65 per SoC “ for this activity to be profitable “. By comparison, a high-end Snapdragon chip costs around $150.

Google Pixel 9 128 GB at the best price Base price: €899

See more offers

More interesting (or worrying), this document also reveals why users return their Pixel smartphone: overheating is the first reason given (it represents 28% of complaints), followed by battery life. Details are scant, but following customer surveys, they would expect a battery life of 36 hours. We are far from it: apparently, less than 86% of Pixel 6/7 users manage to finish the day with a single battery charge!

Rather embarrassing, then. If the Tensor G5 expected next year with the Pixel 10 should not change much on these two levels, the Tensor G6 of 2026 would benefit from improvements. First in terms of heating, for example with a rendering engine to reduce energy consumption when recording videos containing blur effects.

Reducing energy consumption also means reducing the size of the chip. The Tensor G5 should measure 121mm2, compared to the 105mm2 of Apple’s A18 Pro. Google wants to reach 105 mm2 for the Tensor G6, thanks to TSMC’s N3P engraving (the Tensor G5 uses the N3E node) which will reduce the size by 4%.

That won’t be enough: Google also plans to integrate an old graphics circuit into the SoC, in fact intended for the Tensor G4. You should not expect ray tracing support on the Pixel 11 (not sure that it will be of much use, but it is a selling point widely used by Apple). The CPU would remain relatively modest in terms of performance: the Tensor G6 would use 1 Cortex-X930 core and 6 Cortex-A730 cores, in other words a configuration that favors energy efficiency at the expense of raw power.

Another sacrifice: the digital signal processor (DSP) will lose one of its cores, which reduces the processing capacity of audio and video tasks. System-level cache will also pay a heavy price on the altar of size. It will go from 8 to 4 MB: this will reduce performance in terms of temporary data management, but will save space on the chip.

It is therefore not with the Tensor G6 that Google will raise its chips to the level of those of Qualcomm or Apple. But if the future Pixel 11s could already improve their autonomy and limit heating, it would be a step in the right direction to satisfy users and strengthen the brand image of the Pixels.