Beijing, Oct 20 (IANS): In a bid to gain control over core components and reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductor suppliers Qualcomm and MediaTek, smartphone brand OPPO is developing high-end mobile chips for its premium handsets, a media report said on Wednesday.

The world's fourth-largest smartphone maker by shipments plans to use its own mobile systems-on-a-chip (SoC) in phones due out in 2023 or 2024, depending on the speed of development, citing sources, Nikkei Asia reported.

OPPO thus joins a race of smartphone makers -- including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi -- that are developing their own processors.

Tech giant Google on Tuesday unveiled the Pixel 6, its first smartphone using its Tenor mobile processor.

Developing key chips in-house could also enhance supply chain control and possibly soften widespread shortages and disruptions, the report said.

OPPO is looking to use the 3-nanometer chip production technology offered by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TMSC), the world's biggest contract chipmaker, sources said. This would make it part of a second wave of TSMC clients, following Apple and Intel, to use the cutting-edge tech.

Sources said this is a sign of OPPO's commitment to developing high-end mobile chips capable of competing with the globe's top semiconductor developers.

In-house designed processors have become a hallmark of the world's leading smartphone brands.

Apple began putting its A-series mobile processors in iPhones a decade ago. Huawei Technologies, once the world's largest smartphone maker, made its mark with its Kirin processor before a US clampdown on the company derailed its consumer electronics business.