Apple is taking a major step to strengthen its chip supply chain, reportedly signing a preliminary agreement that would see Intel manufacture silicon for some Apple devices. If finalized and expanded over time, this would mark one of Apple’s most significant shifts in chip sourcing strategy in years, giving the company added flexibility as demand for advanced manufacturing capacity remains intense across the industry.
Reports indicate Apple and Intel have been in discussions for roughly a year, and the new preliminary deal would allow Apple-designed chips to be produced inside Intel’s fabrication facilities. While details are still limited, the structure is expected to mirror Apple’s familiar foundry model: Apple designs custom processors based on ARM architecture, then partners with a manufacturer to fabricate those chips using leading-edge process technology.
Which products could use Intel-made chips is still unclear. However, recent industry chatter has suggested Apple may consider Intel’s upcoming 18A-P process for lower-end M-series chips that could arrive around 2027, as well as non-Pro iPhone chips potentially landing in 2028. There has also been talk that a future Apple custom ASIC—expected in the 2027–2028 window—could take advantage of Intel’s advanced packaging approach using EMIB (a technology designed to connect multiple pieces of silicon efficiently within one package).
Apple’s interest in Intel’s newest nodes has been building for months. The company previously explored Intel’s process design kits for evaluation, and Intel’s 18A-P has drawn attention as a milestone technology. It’s expected to be Intel’s first node supporting Foveros Direct 3D hybrid bonding, a technique that enables tighter, faster chiplet stacking through TSV-based connections. These kinds of packaging and stacking innovations are increasingly important as chipmakers look beyond traditional scaling to improve performance and efficiency.
The bigger story here is optionality. Apple appears to be actively pursuing alternatives beyond its current manufacturing arrangements, in part to reduce risk and avoid bottlenecks tied to limited cutting-edge capacity. Apple has also reportedly held exploratory discussions with other major chipmakers as it evaluates how best to diversify production over the long term.
Timing matters, too. Apple recently acknowledged that supply for certain Mac models is taking months to catch up with demand, with rising interest in AI-driven workloads cited as a key factor. More demand for high-performance Macs translates into more pressure on the chip pipeline—and that makes multi-sourcing and expanded manufacturing partnerships more attractive.
There’s also a notable full-circle element to this development. Apple had largely ended its business relationship with Intel after completing its transition away from Intel processors in Macs, with the Intel-based Mac Pro discontinued in 2023. If this manufacturing partnership progresses, it would represent Apple returning to Intel in a very different role—not as a CPU supplier for Macs, but as a potential contract manufacturer helping build Apple’s own silicon.
For Apple, the message is clear: custom chips remain central to its product strategy, and securing reliable, scalable production capacity is becoming just as important as designing the silicon itself.
