Intel now makes iPhone chips for Apple, report says

Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple and Intel had reached a deal to produce chips, and now a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo says that Intel has already started initial production of processors for iPhone and more.

Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple and Intel have already started production of chips for iPhone, iPad and Mac

Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to announce last fall that Apple and Intel were exploring a renewed partnership. And now the analyst has shared a new report on X in which he claims that initial production has already begun.

The report is lengthy and largely contains Kuo’s analysis and expectations regarding the Apple-Intel deal and its impact on TSMC.

However, Kuo also includes some noteworthy updates. He writes:

1. Apple released low-end/older processors for iPhone, iPad and Mac at Intel on the 18A-P series (using Foveros packaging).
2. The order mix is ​​approximately 80% iPhone, reflecting Apple’s end-device sales mix.
3. Apple’s wafer plans at Intel reflect the technology lifecycle of the 18A-P series: small-scale testing in 2026, ramp-up in 2027, continued growth in 2028, and decline in 2029.
4. Apple is also actively evaluating Intel’s other advanced node technologies.

It seems that after recently reaching a deal, Apple and Intel wasted no time in starting initial production.

Kuo doesn’t name the specific chips Intel produces, only mentioning that they are “low-end/legacy.”

This likely means Intel is producing chips for older iPhone, iPad, and Mac models that are still on sale today. TSMC is still expected to handle orders for Apple’s most advanced silicon.

Many see the addition of Intel as a chipmaker as a way for Apple to mitigate the risks of overreliance on TSMC. Kuo notes, however, that TSMC is still expected to “retain more than 90% of the supply share” once Intel’s operations are fully operational.

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