Apple might be looking beyond TSMC for future iPhone and Mac silicon — not because TSMC is suddenly out, but because the chip world is getting seriously congested.
According to a Bloomberg report cited by Android Authority, Apple has held early discussions with Samsung and Intel about producing its main device chipsets in the US. Nothing is locked in yet, and the talks are still preliminary, but the move makes sense when you look at how much pressure is sitting on advanced chip manufacturing right now.
TSMC currently handles a massive share of global chip fabrication, reportedly close to three-fourths of the market. For Apple, that relationship is crucial because its A-series chips for iPhone and M-series chips for Mac are among the most advanced consumer processors around. But AI companies are now swallowing up huge amounts of chip capacity for data centres, making top-tier manufacturing slots harder to secure.
That matters even for Malaysian buyers. If Apple struggles to secure enough advanced chips, the impact could eventually show up as slower stock arrivals, weaker launch availability, or pricing pressure for iPhones, iPads, and Macs in markets like Malaysia and the wider SEA region. We already see how quickly popular Apple models can become hard to find here during launch windows; chip supply problems would only make that more annoying.
Samsung appears to be one possible backup route. Apple executives have reportedly visited Samsung’s upcoming fabrication plant in Taylor, Texas. That facility, valued at around US$17 billion, is expected to come online by the end of 2026. Samsung is also not a stranger to Apple’s supply chain, already providing parts like displays and memory.
Apple has also confirmed that it is working with Samsung to launch a new chipmaking technology in the US, although that does not automatically mean Samsung will be producing the main brains of future iPhones or Macs. Making Apple-designed chips at the level Apple expects is not simple, and Android Authority notes that Samsung and Intel may not be able to fully replace TSMC in either capacity or manufacturing finesse.
Intel is another name reportedly in the mix. Politically, working with Intel could help Apple strengthen its US manufacturing story, especially under the Trump administration’s push for more domestic chip production. Intel previously received a relief package of roughly US$9 billion from the US government, and Washington clearly wants the company to remain a serious player.
For Apple, this is also classic supplier strategy. Having more than one manufacturing partner gives the company negotiating leverage and reduces risk. If tensions around Taiwan ever disrupt chip supplies, Apple would not want its entire iPhone and Mac roadmap stuck behind one geopolitical chokepoint.
This is not just an Apple story either. Qualcomm is reportedly also leaning on Samsung for part of its future flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 production. That means Android flagships, gaming phones, and premium devices heading to SEA could be affected by the same foundry shuffle.
For now, don’t expect your next iPhone or MacBook to suddenly come with a “made by Samsung” chip story overnight. TSMC is still Apple’s main powerhouse. But Apple exploring a plan B tells us the chip race is entering a new phase, where AI demand, US politics, and supply chain risk are all crashing into the gadgets we actually buy.
Source: Android Authority