Apple Silicon may be getting a more complicated supply chain soon — and for MacBook and iPad fans in Malaysia, this is worth watching.
According to Bloomberg via TechPowerUp, Apple has been in discussions with both Intel Foundry and Samsung Foundry about producing some of its chips in the United States. That would be a notable shift because Apple’s custom processors — from iPhone A-series chips to the M-series chips inside iPads and Macs — have traditionally relied heavily on TSMC.
To be clear, this does not mean TSMC is suddenly out of the picture. Apple has built its modern hardware advantage on TSMC’s advanced process nodes, and that relationship is still core to the company’s products. But Apple clearly seems interested in widening its options, especially as chip supply, geopolitics, and US-based manufacturing become bigger factors.
Intel’s 18A-P node is the interesting bit
The report points to Apple evaluating Intel’s 18A-P process design kits, or PDKs. Apple has reportedly used version 0.9.1 of the PDK for Intel’s 18A-P node, with performance, density, power, and other targets said to be meeting expectations.
If everything lines up, Intel could become one of Apple’s advanced-node manufacturing partners by 2027.
Apple is also said to be waiting for Intel’s 18A-P PDK version 1.0, which is expected in the first half of 2026, or may already have reached partners. Once that is ready, Apple reportedly plans to begin with its lowest-end M-series chip — the type of silicon used in devices like the MacBook Air and iPad Pro.
That starting point makes sense. Apple is unlikely to throw its highest-end Pro or Max-class chips into a new foundry relationship straight away. A lower-end M chip gives Apple room to validate yields, thermals, efficiency, and production consistency before scaling further.
Why Malaysian buyers should care
For most people here, foundry news sounds macam super deep industry stuff. But it can affect the devices we actually buy.
The MacBook Air is one of the most popular Apple laptops for students, office workers, designers, and content creators in Malaysia because it is light, silent, and battery-efficient. If Apple can get better power efficiency or thermal behaviour from future chips, that matters in our climate. Less heat, longer battery life, and more stable performance are all very real benefits when you are working in a café, campus, coworking space, or just a room with questionable air-cond.
Intel’s 18A-P is reportedly capable of either delivering around 9% better performance at the same power level or cutting power use by around 18% at the same performance compared with standard 18A. Those numbers are not product guarantees, but they show why Apple would be interested. Apple’s whole M-series strategy is about performance-per-watt, not just raw benchmark flexing.
The report also mentions better thermal conductivity, which could help heat dissipation compared with what Apple currently achieves using TSMC’s 3 nm process in the M5 SoC. For thin devices like the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, thermals are always the hidden boss fight. You can have a powerful chip, but if it cannot sustain performance without getting panas gila, users will feel it.
Samsung is also in the conversation
Samsung Foundry is reportedly part of Apple’s talks too, though the available details are thinner compared with Intel’s 18A-P angle. Still, Apple speaking to both Intel and Samsung suggests this is not just a random experiment. The company may be looking for more flexibility in where future Apple Silicon is made.
For SEA buyers, more manufacturing options could eventually help supply stability, especially around new MacBook and iPad launches. It does not automatically mean cheaper prices in Malaysia — Apple pricing is never that simple, bro — but better supply and healthier competition behind the scenes are usually good signs.
For now, this is still a watchlist story rather than a confirmed product launch. But if Intel really lands Apple as a serious advanced-node customer by 2027, that would be a massive credibility boost for Intel Foundry — and potentially a big turning point for future MacBook Air and iPad Pro chips.
Source: TechPowerUp