Intel to produce Apple chips again
After six years away from Intel, Apple wants to have chips manufactured by Intel again. The two companies are said to have already signed a preliminary agreement to this effect.
Since Apple launched the M chips in 2020, Intel no longer manufactures processors for Macs. According to the Wall Street Journal, this is set to change: The two companies are said to have reached a preliminary agreement. According to the agreement, Intel will once again manufacture chips for the Apple Group. Which ones and when is still unknown. However, Apple is said to be interested in Intel's currently most advanced 18A manufacturing process.
TSMC remains important for Apple
Currently, Apple manufactures its chips exclusively at TSMC in Taiwan. The US company is dependent on the contract manufacturer. It has been trying to free itself from this dependency for some time. The collaboration with Intel is now likely to be a first step. In addition, the battle for production capacity is fierce. Until the end of last year, Apple was the contract manufacturer's largest customer. Now, however, it is Nvidia. This is therefore likely to be given preferential treatment by TSMC.
At the same time, Apple will remain a major customer of TSMC: The Taiwanese simply have the edge when it comes to manufacturing at the moment. Apple will therefore probably only have the less powerful chips manufactured by Intel.
US government involved
The deal is said to have been finalised under the strong influence of the US government. It wants more production to take place in its own country and is therefore taking a tough line with import tariffs. In addition, Intel has been a partly state-owned company since last year - meaning the government benefits from the deal.
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