Chixin Semiconductor（驰芯半导体）, a Changsha-based chip designer, has secured exclusive supply of the ultra-wideband chip for Samsung’s（三星）Galaxy SmartTag3, according to an October 18 report based on an interview with founder and chairman Jing Zhenhai. The reported selection gives the Chinese supplier a place in an international consumer-electronics product, although shipment volumes and contract value were not disclosed.
chixin
Jing told Sanxiang Metropolis Daily that Samsung selected Chixin after evaluating samples from several suppliers. He said NXP（恩智浦）had supplied UWB chips for the preceding two generations of Samsung’s tracker products. Samsung’s public SmartTag3 announcement reviewed for this article did not identify its chip suppliers.
The company attributed its selection to performance, power consumption and pricing. Jing said a SmartTag3 equipped with Chixin’s chip achieved a longer transmission distance than its predecessor. The interview did not provide detailed test conditions or independent verification of that comparison.
Samsung’s product announcement describes both Bluetooth 6.0 channel sounding and UWB as contributing to the tracker’s finding functions. Improvements in overall range and battery life therefore should not be attributed solely to a change in UWB supplier.
Chixin develops UWB chips and associated solutions for consumer electronics, automotive and Internet of Things applications. In the interview, Jing described a highly integrated chip architecture combining radio-frequency circuitry, digital signal processing, computing and storage. The report did not identify the specific chip supplied for SmartTag3.
Separately, September reporting disclosed an A+ financing round exceeding CNY 200 million. Shanghai Yanpu Jinggong（上海沿浦精工）led the round, with participation from investors including Quectel Communications（移远通信）and Changsha Lushan Holdings（长沙麓山控股）. The financing predates the October interview.
For Chinese semiconductor designers, the reported Samsung selection illustrates a route into overseas markets through a global device manufacturer. A successful supply relationship would require consistent production quality, delivery and technical support alongside competitive specifications.
The commercial significance remains to be measured through shipments, revenue and subsequent product selections. Winning one tracker program would broaden Chixin’s customer base, but it does not establish a wider shift in UWB market leadership or guarantee adoption across Samsung’s other devices.
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