Apple appears ready to bring Intel back into its hardware plans, this time as a manufacturing partner rather than a chip designer. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said Intel will begin producing Apple’s lower-end M-series chips for Mac and iPad around 2027. Analyst Jeff Pu adds greater detail in a research note. He says Intel is also expected to manufacture Apple’s non-Pro iPhone chips starting in 2028.
Apple currently depends on TSMC in Taiwan to fabricate all A-series and M-series chips. Apple designs the silicon, and TSMC handles production. Kuo’s report points to Intel’s 18A process as the starting point for the first Intel-built M chip. Pu’s note expands that idea, saying Intel would begin producing base iPhone chips on its upcoming 14A process about a year later.
Intel’s path from M-series to A-series
Pu’s research, shared through GF Securities and summarized by MacRumors, says Intel’s 14A process could begin producing something like an A22 chip for future devices. Today, Apple uses its base A19 chip in the standard iPhone 17 and plans to reuse it in the iPhone 17e. Meanwhile, the A19 Pro remains exclusive to higher-end models and would likely stay with TSMC even if Intel joins as a second supplier.
This new partnership works differently from the old Intel Mac era. Back then, Intel designed and built x86 processors for Apple. Now Apple keeps full control of chip design, while Intel handles part of the manufacturing. TSMC remains Apple’s primary partner, especially for Pro-level silicon.
Why Apple wants Intel back
Adding Intel gives Apple geographic and supply-chain diversification. Intel’s 18A and 14A nodes are central to its plan to grow as a contract foundry, and securing Apple as a client strengthens that effort. For Apple, using Intel’s North American facilities reduces reliance on a single region and creates more flexibility for future product cycles.
Kuo says Intel will start by supplying low-end M-series chips for Macs and iPads from mid-2027. That early step lets Apple test Intel’s production capabilities before shifting any iPhone volume. If that transition works well, Intel would then take on a portion of base A-series manufacturing in 2028.
Apple will still design the chips, control performance targets, and decide which models get which silicon. The Pro lineup is expected to stay tied to TSMC, while Intel supports the standard and “e” models.
This next chapter sets up a quiet reset of the Apple-Intel relationship. No stickers, no branding, but a major move behind the scenes that reshapes how Apple builds future Macs, iPads, and eventually iPhones.
