Intel Has Started Producing Apple Chips for iPhones and Macs

Apple’s renewed chip partnership with Intel now looks more serious than a simple backup plan. After last week’s report about a new Apple and Intel agreement, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple has already started early production work on low-end and legacy processors for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.



Ming-Chi Kuo shared the update on X and said Apple has begun work on Intel’s 18A-P series, with Foveros packaging involved in the process.




“Apple has kicked off low-end/legacy iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors at Intel on the 18A-P series. The order mix is roughly 80% iPhone, mirroring Apple’s end-device sales mix.”




Apple is testing Intel across major product lines



The key detail here is not just that Intel has received Apple work. It is that Apple has started across iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors at the same time, which gives Intel a wider test case than a small symbolic order.



Kuo says Apple’s wafer plans point to small-scale testing in 2026, a ramp in 2027, continued growth in 2028, and a decline in 2029. That timeline suggests Apple is using Intel to validate a full production cycle, rather than rushing a quick shift away from TSMC.



TSMC still keeps the main Apple business



Kuo also makes clear that TSMC remains Apple’s main chip supplier, even if Intel’s early work goes well.




“Even if Intel’s initial shipments go smoothly, TSMC will still retain over 90% of supply share.”




That makes the Apple Intel chip deal more about risk control than immediate replacement. Apple still needs TSMC for its most advanced silicon, but it also needs another path as AI demand puts more pressure on advanced-node capacity.



For Intel, Apple gives its foundry business a rare chance to prove itself with one of the most demanding customers in consumer technology. For Apple, the deal adds bargaining power and supply flexibility at a time when chip capacity has become a strategic problem.