Samsung Electronics has launched its first SoC that integrates 5G connectivity.

Exynos 980 combines a 5G modem and mobile application processor into one chip, which increases power efficiency and takes up less space within smartphones compared to older generation SoCs.

It can support data transfer rates of 2.55Gbps in 5G connectivity for sub-6GHz spectrum and 1.0Gbps for 4G, allowing a rate of 3.55Gbps at dual connectivity, the company said. 

The SoC is constructed through an 8nm process and sports a total of eight CPU cores -- two Cortex-A77 and six Cortex-A55 -- as well as the Mali G76 GPU.

The chip also has an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) for on-device artificial intelligence (AI) applications that can protect private information, filter content, and take advantage of mixed reality and intelligent cameras.

It also has a high-performance image signal processor that can process up to 108 million pixel images, and can be synced up to five image sensors and run three of them simultaneously.

Samsung has already supplied samples of the new chip to a client and will begin production of the 5G-integrated chip later this year.

The South Korean tech giant has been aggressive in pushing 5G, having launched a slew of 5G chips in April, including Exynos Modem 5100. Samsung was also the first company to launch a smartphone for the next-generation network with the Galaxy S10 5G.

Samsung's boss of logic chips, Inyup Kang, previously told ZDNet that 5G is an opportunity that the company could not miss as it eyes inroads into AI and cars going forward.

The company is currently a leading supplier of mmWave equipment to US telcos and sub-6GHz equipment for its home country South Korea.