M-Chips "made in USA"? Intel to allegedly manufacture for Apple in the future
A small portion of Apple's M-chips will be manufactured by Intel in the USA in the future, predicts a usually well-informed analyst.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch / heise medien)
Once arch-enemies, then partners, finally irrelevant to Apple. The history of Apple and Intel is eventful, and now a new chapter may be dawning: Intel could become a second chip manufacturer for Apple's M-processors, according to information from an industry observer. An agreement for the use of the new Intel manufacturing process 18A has reportedly already been concluded, reports the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who usually has deep insight into Apple's supply chain.
M-processors from Intel from 2027?
Apple's plan is for Intel to deliver the first M-processors from spring 2027 at the earliest, explains Kuo. However, the schedule could change. Only the production of the lowest M-variant, as currently used in the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, is planned. The analyst leaves open exactly which M-chips are meant. In the USA, Apple currently still sells a MacBook Air with the M1 introduced in 2020 via Walmart, but the iPad Pro recently featured an M4 and, more recently, the new M5. A MacBook Air with M5 is still pending.
Kuo does not expect any major impact on Apple's currently sole chip manufacturer TSMC: The low-end variants of the M-processors account for only around 20 million units per year, he notes. In the next two years, the number of units is also expected to decrease because an expected budget MacBook with an A-chip competes with the other base models.
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Strategically interesting for Apple and Intel
Nevertheless, such a deal is strategically interesting for both companies, the analyst notes. This would allow Apple to slightly reduce its hitherto complete dependence on the Taiwan-based chip manufacturer TSMC and at the same time refer to Intel's chip manufacturing in its home market, the USA – which would likely be very welcome by the US government. Apple CEO Tim Cook has visited US President Trump several times in recent months. For Intel, Apple would be a first major customer for the 18A manufacturing process, which not only generates revenue but also sends an important signal, the analyst concludes. The future manufacturing process 14A could then lead to follow-up orders. All of this has not yet been confirmed.
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