Apple may turn to Intel to fabricate its low-end M-series Apple silicon chips. Such SoCs could debut as early as 2027.
Intel-fabricated Apple silicon chips will find their way inside the MacBook Air and iPad Pro.
Intel may make CPUs for Apple
In 2020, Apple moved away from Intel CPUs to its in-house Apple silicon processors. As part of the transition, it fabricates these chips on TSMC’s cutting-edge nodes. With Intel’s CPU business struggling, the company has opened its foundry business to external clients. And Apple could become one of its customers.
Based on his latest industry survey, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in a post on X, says “visibility on Intel becoming an advanced-node supplier to Apple has recently improved significantly.”
Apple has supposedly signed an NDA with Intel for its advanced 18AP PDK 0.9.1GA node. Based on the scheduled technical progress, Apple expects Intel to start fabricating and shipping its low-end M-series CPUs in Q2 or Q3 2027.
TSMC currently fabricates all Apple silicon chips, including the baseline M4 and M5 processors. Apple wants to move the production of these chips to Intel’s node as a way to diversify its supply chain. It will also help the company show support for US President Donald Trump’s “Made in USA” policy.
Kuo also predicts that with the imminent launch of a more affordable MacBook, sales of the MacBook Air and iPad Pro will decline from approximately 20 million units in 2025 to 15-20 million units in 2026 and 2027.
For Intel, Apple could be the game-changer
The analyst also believes that TSMC losing Apple’s low-end M-series chip orders would have virtually no material impact on its revenue.
More than TSMC, winning orders from Apple would be a significant win for Intel. It could eventually pave the way for the company to secure even more foundry business from Apple in the future.
There are still several challenges ahead before Intel actually starts fabricating low-end Apple silicon chips. If its process node doesn’t match TSMC’s efficiency, Apple could fall back to its longtime partner.
But if that day ever comes, it would be ironic: Intel would go from supplying CPUs to Apple to manufacturing Apple’s own chips for it.