Apple And Intel Could Work Together Again, But Not In The Way You Remember

There’s a new round of whispers suggesting Apple and Intel might be teaming up again. If you’ve followed the tech industry for a while, that might sound strange. Apple moved away from Intel chips years ago and hasn’t looked back since the M-series era started. But the story this time is different. Apple isn’t going back to Intel processors. Instead, Intel might become one of the companies helping Apple actually build its chips.

It’s a shift that says a lot about where Apple’s supply chain is headed and how Intel is trying to reinvent itself.

Apple’s Looking To Spread Its Chip Manufacturing A Little Wider

Right now, almost all of Apple’s chips are manufactured by TSMC. That includes everything from the iPhone’s A series to the Mac’s M series. It works well, but depending on one supplier for most of your products isn’t always ideal. Delays hit harder. Capacity limits become a headache. Even geopolitical risks start to matter more.

So the idea of Apple exploring a second manufacturing partner isn’t surprising. Intel has been pushing hard to grow its foundry business, and its upcoming technologies are starting to attract attention. For Apple, having an additional partner helps balance production without changing anything about how its chips are designed.

Why Analysts Think The Intel Deal Is Close

A new research note from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu points to a possible agreement where Intel would begin making some of Apple’s non-Pro iPhone chips around 2028. These would be Apple-designed chips, but built using Intel’s upcoming 14A manufacturing process.

If this timeline holds, it lines up with the chip Apple might use in something like the iPhone 20 or an entry model that sits beside it. The expectation is that Intel would take on a small slice of the production while TSMC stays Apple’s main supplier.

Another well known analyst, Ming Chi Kuo, recently said something similar about Apple’s Mac and iPad chips. According to him, Intel could begin producing Apple’s lowest tier M series processors as early as mid 2027. Those chips would be built on Intel’s 18A process, which is positioned as one of the most advanced nodes coming out of North America.

All of this is still far out, but the timelines from both analysts match up neatly. It suggests the conversations between Apple and Intel aren’t just casual.

This Isn’t A Return To Intel Macs

It’s easy to see Intel’s name and think Apple might be reversing course. That’s not what’s happening. Apple continues to design every detail of its chips. Intel simply steps in on the manufacturing side. Think of it more like outsourcing part of the production pipeline.

This setup has nothing in common with the old Intel Mac era, when Apple relied on Intel’s x86 processors. Now it’s Intel working with Apple’s Arm based silicon, which is exactly what Apple shifted to in the first place.

What Apple Gains From This Kind Of Backup

If everything goes through, Apple gets a simple benefit. Flexibility. TSMC still handles the majority of the workload, but Intel gives Apple an additional safety valve. It smooths out supply risk and reduces the pressure of tied up capacity.

There’s also the strategic part. Working with a US based manufacturer helps Apple diversify in a way that aligns with broader industry goals. Supply chain resilience has become a quiet priority for most big tech companies, and this move fits right into that trend.

For Intel, even a slice of Apple’s chip production is a major win. It shows that its foundry roadmap is starting to look strong enough for one of the toughest clients in the world.

The iPhone Angle Makes This Especially Interesting

Apple has never used Intel to build an A series processor before. Intel did make modems for some older iPhones, but never the main chips. So the idea of Intel playing a small role in future iPhones is a noticeable shift. If these reports play out, 2028 could mark Intel’s first step into that part of Apple’s lineup.

It’s still early, and none of this is official. But the direction feels reasonable, especially when you look at how both companies have been repositioning themselves in the past few years.

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