[Breaking] Google Reportedly Sticks With Intel EMIB-T Despite 35% Substrate Yields as HumuFish Schedule Tightens

What happened

Google reportedly remains committed to Intel's EMIB-T for HumuFish despite poor substrate yields. According to industry sources, EMIB-T substrate yields were around 35% in 3Q26, well short of the 50% target set for year-end; the reported causes are thermal expansion differences between ABF substrates and embedded silicon bridges that make precise alignment difficult during high-temperature processing, and NCF (Non-Conductive Film) applied beneath the bridges' TSVs trapping air bubbles during bonding, potentially weakening adhesion. Despite market rumors of a HumuFish delay and the possibility of a switch to TSMC's CoWoS-L, supply chain checks indicate HumuFish remains '100%' committed to EMIB-T. Intel has adjusted its substrate electroplating process, and suppliers including Ibiden, Unimicron, and Shinko continue working to improve yields. Google's TPU v9 lineup is confirmed to include three variants: Broadcom-designed WhaleFish (expected to adopt TSMC's CoWoS-L, with mass production slated for 2H27), MediaTek-designed HumuFish (set for 1H28 mass production, relying exclusively on Intel's EMIB-T), and TriggerFish (also planned to use EMIB-T, with production targeted for 2H28 or later). Per TechNews citing analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, TriggerFish is positioned as an upgraded TPU v9 with stronger inference capabilities and features three key upgrades over HumuFish: 2–3 times the SRAM capacity, an additional simulation die, and a shift to HBM4E from HumuFish's HBM4. On delays, the tape-out of Google-designed Compute Die A, built on TSMC's N2 process, has been pushed back to late October while other dies remain on schedule, and the delay is expected to push back trial production of the complete package; Commercial Times further notes the MediaTek-involved Google TPU v9 project (HumuFish) could see its tape-out pushed back to January 2027 due to design revisions, potentially delaying shipments until 1Q28. With HumuFish not slated for mass production until 1H28, the supply chain still has time to address EMIB-T's remaining issues, but a tape-out slip to January 2027 could compress that cushion.

Impact and signal

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Source and time

Source: TrendForce · 10/21/2026 · View original source