Apple May Tap Intel For Future Chips As It Looks Beyond TSMC
Apple and Intel may be getting back into business together — but not in the old “Intel Inside the MacBook” way.
According to a report cited by Tom's Hardware, Apple and Intel have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture some processors for Apple. The deal is not officially confirmed yet, but sources close to both companies claim discussions have been running for more than a year, with the formal arrangement being worked out over the last few months.
The big reason? Apple appears to want more options beyond TSMC.
That matters because TSMC is currently the backbone of Apple's most important chips, from iPhone silicon to the M-series processors powering MacBooks and iPads. But in a world where chip shortages, geopolitics, and manufacturing capacity can all mess with product launches, relying too heavily on one foundry is risky. For Apple, having Intel as another manufacturing partner could help spread that risk.
For Malaysian and SEA Apple fans, this is not the kind of news that changes your iPhone experience tomorrow morning. But long term, it could affect product availability, launch timing, and maybe even how stable supply is when new MacBooks or iPhones land in our region. Anyone who has waited for specific MacBook configs in Malaysia knows the pain — supply chain drama overseas can become “bro, no stock yet” at local retailers very quickly.
What chips Intel might make is still unknown. That is the key missing piece.
Intel previously supplied x86 processors for Macs from 2006 until Apple fully moved away from Intel-based Macs in 2023. But manufacturing Apple-designed chips is a different game. Apple reportedly considered Intel's 18A process for entry-level M-series chips as early as last year, though nothing has been confirmed by either company.
There is also some history here. Intel had a shot years ago at producing Apple's A-series chips for iPhone and iPad, but that opportunity slipped away. Apple ended up leaning heavily on TSMC instead, and TSMC became the go-to name for cutting-edge consumer chip manufacturing.
If Intel really has earned Apple's trust again, that is a major signal.
It also comes during a strong comeback narrative for Intel. The company has reportedly attracted a US$5 billion investment from Nvidia, with both companies working on an x86 RTX SoC for PCs. Elon Musk's TeraFab project is also said to be using Intel's 14A process for AI chips. Add Apple into the picture, and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan suddenly has a much stronger story to tell after the company struggled through rough results under former CEO Pat Gelsinger in 2024.
Tom's Hardware also notes that Intel's stock price has surged, reaching US$126.23 at the time of writing and surpassing its previous dot-com era peak.
Still, the important word here is “reportedly”. Apple has not announced this. Intel has not announced this. Until both sides confirm the deal and explain which chips are involved, we should treat it as a serious industry report rather than locked-in product news.
For now, the takeaway is simple: Apple may be preparing a more diversified chip supply chain, and Intel may have landed one of the biggest credibility wins in modern semiconductor manufacturing.
If this leads to smoother MacBook, iPad, or iPhone supply in Malaysia down the road, local buyers will feel it. If not, it is still a massive power move in the global chip war — and one SEA tech fans should keep an eye on.
Source: Tom's Hardware
