Apple may be laying the groundwork for one of its most significant changes to its silicon supply chain in years.
New reports suggest the company is in talks with Intel to manufacture a portion of its future chips, a move that would reduce Apple's long-standing dependence on TSMC while keeping chip design fully in-house.
Apple–Intel Manufacturing Talks Gain Credibility
Speculation about a potential Apple–Intel partnership first emerged in early December, but new analysis is lending weight to those rumors.
In a recent research note, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu reported that Intel is preparing to manufacture Apple-designed chips using its upcoming 14A process, which is expected to reach mass production readiness by 2028.
If that timeline holds, Intel could produce a portion of Apple's A21 and A22 chips, which would likely power future iPhone models later this decade.
As with Apple's relationship with TSMC, Intel would act solely as a fabrication partner, with Apple retaining full control over chip architecture and design.
TSMC Remains Apple's Anchor Partner—For Now
Despite the potential shift, TSMC is not being displaced. Industry expectations point to a dual-supplier strategy, with TSMC continuing to handle Apple's most advanced, high-volume silicon, while Intel supplements capacity for select chips.
This approach would give Apple greater flexibility in production planning, improve bargaining power, and reduce exposure to manufacturing bottlenecks or regional disruptions.
Mac and iPad Chips Could Be Next
According to GSM Arena, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Intel may also fabricate chips for certain Mac and iPad models.
According to Kuo, Intel could begin producing lower-end Apple M-series chips as early as mid-2027, potentially marking Intel's first role in Apple Silicon for personal computing devices.
This would represent a notable shift, especially given Apple's aggressive transition away from Intel processors beginning in 2020.
Why Apple Might Be Making This Move
Diversifying chip manufacturing partners would help Apple:
- Reduce supply-chain risk.
- Hedge against geopolitical uncertainty.
- Improve leverage in pricing and capacity negotiations.
- Ensure long-term scalability as Apple Silicon expands across product lines.
For Intel, securing Apple as a foundry customer would be a major endorsement of its foundry services strategy and its push to regain relevance in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Originally published on Tech Times
