A Surprising Tech Reunion
Apple and Intel are reportedly getting back into business together — and it's turning heads across the tech industry.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the two companies have reached a "preliminary agreement" for Intel to manufacture chips for Apple hardware. The news comes years after Apple made one of the most celebrated pivots in recent computing history: ditching Intel processors entirely in favour of its homegrown Apple Silicon chips.
Apple's Breakup With Intel
Apple announced its transition away from Intel CPUs back in 2020, completing the shift in 2022. The move to Apple Silicon — starting with the M1 chip — was widely praised as a leap forward in performance and power efficiency. MacBooks running Apple's own chips quickly became benchmarks for battery life and raw computing speed, leaving Intel-powered rivals scrambling to keep up.
For Intel, losing Apple as a customer was a significant blow, both financially and symbolically. Apple had been one of its highest-profile clients, and the departure signalled a broader industry shift toward custom, ARM-based silicon.
Intel's Turnaround Bid
Intel has been working hard to rebuild its reputation and manufacturing capabilities under new leadership. The company appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO in March 2025, bringing in a seasoned semiconductor executive to lead the turnaround.
The stakes got even higher in August when the US government took a 10 percent stake in Intel — a move reflecting both the strategic importance of domestic chip manufacturing and Washington's broader push to reduce reliance on overseas semiconductor supply chains.
Intel has been aggressively marketing its foundry services, positioning itself as a contract manufacturer capable of producing chips designed by other companies — a business model similar to industry giant TSMC.
What We Know (and Don't)
Details are thin for now. The WSJ notes it's "still unclear" which Apple products would incorporate Intel-made chips under the agreement. That's a significant open question: Apple Silicon has become deeply embedded across the Mac lineup, iPhone, and iPad.
One possibility is that Intel's foundry arm could manufacture specific components — not necessarily the main processors — for Apple devices. Apple already sources parts from multiple suppliers and doesn't rely on any single manufacturer for every component in its hardware.
Intel spokesperson Kiana Ducey declined to comment on the report. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why It Matters
If confirmed, the deal would be a meaningful win for Intel's foundry ambitions and a signal that the company's manufacturing capabilities are back in contention at the highest levels of the industry. Landing Apple — even for a subset of components — would carry enormous credibility.
For Apple, working with Intel again doesn't necessarily mean abandoning Apple Silicon. It could simply mean diversifying its manufacturing partners, a strategy the company has employed across its supply chain for years.
The semiconductor industry is watching closely. A formal announcement from either company would likely move markets and reshape how investors view Intel's recovery story.
Source: The Verge / Wall Street Journal
