A report claims that Google could use its own custom microprocessors in Pixel handsets and Chromebooks by 2021.

“Google has made significant progress toward developing its own processor to power future versions of its Pixel smartphone as soon as next year, and eventually Chromebooks as well, a report in Axios claims. “The move could help Google better compete with Apple, which designs its own chips. It would be a blow to Qualcomm, which supplies processors for many current high-end phones, including the Pixel."

The report claims that the new chip, code-named Whitechapel, has been designed in cooperation with Samsung using a 5-nanometer technology. It is said to pack an 8-core ARM processor, along with hardware optimized for Google's machine-learning technology and silicon dedicated to improving the performance and "always-on" capabilities of Google Assistant.

Samsung also manufactures some of Apple's iPhone chips, as well as its own Exynos processors.

The Google-designed chips aren't expected to be ready to power Pixel phones until next year.

Google declioned to comment.

Google's Pixel already includes custom Google chips for machine learning and image processing tasks, and the company has hired a number of chip experts from rivals, including Apple and Intel.