Reports have been accumulating regarding Apple possibly collaborating with Intel to create upcoming chips, and as per The Wall Street Journal, a contract has been formally established.
## Future Apple silicon might be manufactured, in part, by Intel
Robbie Whelan and Rolfe Winkler write at The Wall Street Journal:
> Apple and Intel have come to a preliminary accord for Intel to produce some of the chips that operate Apple devices, according to individuals familiar with the details. Intensive discussions between the two firms have been ongoing for over a year, and they finalized a formal agreement in recent months, these individuals stated. Bloomberg News initially reported the discussions on Tuesday. It remains uncertain which Apple items Intel would be making chips for, these individuals mentioned. Apple ships over 200 million iPhones annually alongside millions of iPads and Mac computers.
Ming-Chi Kuo first disclosed last autumn that Apple and Intel were considering a partnership for future M-class chips aimed at Macs and iPads. At that time, Kuo indicated that Intel might begin chip production as soon as 2027.
Analyst Jeff Pu supplemented this in December, suggesting that the potential collaboration might also encompass manufacturing iPhone chips. However, that would not occur until 2028.
Then earlier this week, Bloomberg revealed that Apple was investigating alliances with both Intel and Samsung to diversify its chip production chain. At present, Apple relies heavily on TSMC for new chips.
In addition to the clear competitive benefits of diversifying chip production, an Intel partnership could enhance Apple’s standing with the US government. Intel is now partially owned by the US, and the Trump administration has reportedly been working to secure new agreements for the company.
According to the WSJ report, the US government played a significant role in the Apple agreement. “President Trump personally advocated for Intel to Cook in a meeting at the White House, according to individuals knowledgeable about the situation.”
If Apple plans to utilize Intel for 2027 chips, we can expect to hear more details about the agreement shortly.