Intel has been at the center of heavy speculation lately, thanks to renewed talk that Apple could eventually turn to the company for manufacturing help. Recent reports have suggested Apple might evaluate Intel’s 18A-P process for future entry-level M-series chips expected around 2027, and possibly for non-Pro iPhone chips in 2028. There’s also been chatter that a custom Apple ASIC projected for 2028 could use Intel’s advanced chip packaging approach, including EMIB-style integration.
Adding fuel to the discussion, insiders say Apple has already taken early steps that would align with a serious evaluation, such as signing an NDA and reviewing process design kit materials tied to Intel’s cutting-edge 18A-P technology. On paper, the node has appealing capabilities, including next-generation 3D stacking support designed to connect chiplets more efficiently and tightly than traditional methods.
But a new wave of commentary from industry voices is tempering expectations, especially around iPhone processors. The key issue isn’t performance. It’s heat.
The controversy centers on Intel’s decision to fully embrace Backside Power Delivery (BSPD) for its most advanced manufacturing nodes, including 18A and 14A. BSPD changes how power is delivered inside a chip: instead of routing power through the same side that carries most signal wiring, power is delivered through the backside using shorter and thicker metal paths. In theory, that can reduce voltage drop, stabilize higher frequencies, and free up routing resources on the front side, potentially improving density and reducing congestion.
That sounds like a win—until you look at the realities of smartphone-class thermal limits.
According to the insider discussion, BSPD can make heat management harder by worsening the self-heating effect and reducing heat spreading efficiency. For mobile chips, the performance uplift may be relatively modest, but the thermal penalty can be significant. The argument is that keeping hotspot temperatures under control could require cooling headroom that many phones simply don’t have, especially in thin designs that rely on passive cooling and must stay within strict surface temperature limits.
Those thermal constraints are why some insiders are now suggesting there’s effectively no near-term path for Intel to manufacture iPhone chips on these BSPD-heavy leading-edge nodes. In other words, even if Intel’s process is technologically impressive, it may not be an ideal match for the thermal and power characteristics Apple targets in iPhones—particularly for mass-market models where efficiency and heat are just as important as raw speed.
That doesn’t necessarily shut the door on broader Apple–Intel foundry collaboration. Some observers still see a potential opening for certain M-series processors or other products where thermal envelopes and form factors are more forgiving than a smartphone. But when it comes to iPhone silicon, the latest insider view is clear: the thermal tradeoffs tied to backside power delivery could be a deal-breaker—at least with current assumptions about device cooling and system design.
