Apple and Intel deal could create a major equipment boost for ASML

A reported chip deal between Apple and Intel could become much bigger than a simple foundry agreement.

According to Bank of America estimates, the deal could be worth around $10 billion and may lead Intel to buy billions of euros worth of chipmaking equipment from companies such as ASML and BE Semiconductor.

The deal has not been fully detailed yet. Earlier reports said Apple and Intel had reached a preliminary agreement after more than a year of talks, but it is still unclear which Apple chips Intel would make or which manufacturing process would be used.

Apple currently relies heavily on TSMC for its most important chips, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac processors. If Intel wins even part of Apple’s future chip production, it would be a major credibility boost for Intel Foundry.

The biggest winner outside Intel could be ASML. The Dutch company is the only supplier of EUV lithography machines, which are needed to make the most advanced chips.

BofA estimates that Intel could order around €1.8 billion worth of ASML equipment in a standard Apple deal. If the agreement includes iPhone chips, that number could rise to €4.6 billion because Intel would need about 15 EUV machines to support the extra production.

BE Semiconductor could also benefit if the Apple and Intel deal includes packaging and bonding work. The company makes hybrid bonding equipment, which is becoming more important as advanced chip packaging grows.

The iPhone is the key variable. If Intel only makes smaller Apple chips or lower volume products, the equipment demand would be meaningful but limited. If Intel handles iPhone related production, the scale changes dramatically.

That would require much more lithography capacity, more bonding equipment, and stronger packaging support. It would also show that Apple trusts Intel with one of the highest volume and most important chip lines in consumer technology.

For Intel, the strategic value may be even bigger than the revenue. The company has been trying to prove that its foundry business can win serious outside customers. Apple would be one of the most important names Intel could land.

It would also fit the broader push for more US based chip manufacturing. Intel has been expanding its domestic fab strategy, while Apple and other major companies face pressure to diversify beyond TSMC and Taiwan.

Still, many questions remain. Apple is unlikely to move its most critical chips away from TSMC unless Intel can prove strong yields, competitive performance, and reliable volume. Advanced chip manufacturing is not only about political pressure or supply chain diversification. It has to work technically and economically.

For ASML and BE Semiconductor, though, even a partial Apple Intel deal could be good news. If Intel needs more EUV tools and bonding machines to support Apple orders, the equipment supply chain could see a major new demand wave.

The reported deal is still early and not fully confirmed in detail, but the potential impact is clear. If Apple becomes a real Intel Foundry customer, it could strengthen Intel’s comeback story and trigger a large equipment spending cycle across the chipmaking industry.