Apple is starting a new era with Intel for the production of some low-end and older generation iPhone, iPad and Mac processors. According to supply chain information shared by Ming-Chi Kuo, Intel has started small-scale production tests on Apple-designed chips. Intel’s 18A-P production technology and Foveros packaging structure are used in this process. Apple and Intel cooperation is on the agenda again. Apple’s new process with Intel has a different structure from the old Intel processor period on the Mac side.
This time, Intel’s task will not be to design processors, but to produce chips designed by Apple. In other words, the processors that will emerge will not be Intel architecture x86 chips, Apple-designed processors will be produced in Intel’s production facilities. According to the information shared by Kuo, the production program will start with small-scale tests in 2026. Production volume is expected to increase in 2027, growth will continue in 2028, and a decline in 2029 depending on the life cycle of 18A-P technology.
iPhone processors have a share of approximately 80 percent in Apple’s production plan on the Intel side. The remaining part consists of iPad and Mac processors. There is no clear information that this production line will be used for Apple’s newest and high-end processors. The shared information shows that Intel focuses mostly on processors used in low-end or older generation iPhone, iPad and Mac models. It has not yet been announced which A series or M series chips will be produced by Intel.
TSMC has been the main manufacturer in Apple’s chip supply for a long time. According to the information provided by MacRumors, TSMC has been the sole supplier of Apple’s system chips since 2016. The new Intel process does not completely change this structure. According to Kuo, even if Intel’s first shipments go smoothly, TSMC will maintain a share of over 90 percent in Apple chip supply. In addition to the 18A-P production process on Intel’s side, different advanced production technologies are also being evaluated by Apple.
This shows that Apple is not limited to a single trial production and is examining Intel’s production capability in a broader context. However, there is no finalized picture yet regarding the mass production schedule, shipment scale and final product plan. The new process opens an important topic for Apple’s supply chain. While the company continues with TSMC in high-end and high-volume processors, it may engage Intel as a second production channel in certain product groups.
This structure may create a different production distribution, especially for entry-level and previous generation Apple devices. Apple’s return to Intel does not mean that devices with Intel processors will come back, as in the old Mac era. In the new table, design remains with Apple, while Intel Foundry steps in on the production side. Therefore, the development in question is not a return from the Apple Silicon era; That means manufacturer diversity in Apple-designed chips.
Comments
You can write your views about this story. Comments may be moderated according to site settings.