Intel is now making iPhone chips for Apple, per report

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

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

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

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

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

1. Apple has kicked off low-end/legacy iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors at Intel on the 18A-P series (using Foveros packaging).
2. The order mix is roughly 80% iPhone, mirroring 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 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, having recently struck a deal, Apple and Intel have wasted no time in starting initial production.

Kuo doesn’t name specific chips being produced by Intel, other than mentioning that they are “low-end/legacy.”

Likely this 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 cutting-edge silicon.

Many see the addition of Intel as a chip manufacturer as a way Apple is mitigating risk from over-reliance on TSMC. Kuo notes, however, that TSMC is still expected to “retain over 90% of supply share” once Intel’s operations are fully up and running.

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