Apple plans to revive Intel chip partnership for future iPhones

Apple is reportedly planning to bring Intel back into its iPhone supply chain. According to GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the Cupertino-based tech giant may work with Intel to manufacture future iPhone chips, though Intel will not be involved in designing them.

The deal could involve parts of the A21 or A22 chip, and production on Intel’s 14A process is expected by 2028. The majority of the manufacturing would still be done by Apple’s primary chip partner, TSMC.

Why is Apple turning to Intel?

Intel, known for its US-government-backed chipmaking, may be helping Apple spread its supply chain across multiple manufacturers. The demand for the chips has been growing worldwide, increasingly with AI servers driving up competition. Apple is also reportedly expanding chip production in the US, aligning well with government incentives for such a move.

In addition to iPhones, Intel might also be required to manufacture chips for some of the Apple Mac and iPad products. According to an analyst at Tianfeng Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, Intel might begin fabricating Apple’s M-series chips with its 18A nodes as soon as 2027. Intel previously supplied Apple with cellular modems for its aged iPhones, but that partnership is not the case this time.

A brief history of Apple has been removing its Intel chip designs since 2020, specifically from its Mac computer lineup. Francois Piednoel, a former Intel employee, said that the Skylake architecture led to an "abnormally bad" quality problem, prompting Apple to adopt alternative designs.