Apple may use Intel foundry for future MacBook and iPhone chips

Apple may be preparing a major foundry shift by using Intel to manufacture future MacBook and iPhone chips, according to a new rumor.

The report claims Apple and Intel signed a preliminary chipmaking agreement in December 2025. Under that deal, Apple could use Intel Foundry to produce two future chips: the M7 for MacBooks and the A21 for iPhones.

Apple currently relies heavily on TSMC for its most important chips. That includes the A series chips used in iPhones and the M series chips used in Macs. But TSMC is facing heavy demand from AI companies and other major chip customers, creating supply pressure and higher costs.

That seems to be one reason Apple is looking for extra capacity. Another factor may be political pressure in the US. The report says President Donald Trump personally encouraged Apple CEO Tim Cook to use Intel as part of the broader push for more advanced chip manufacturing in the United States.

Here is the rumored roadmap:

The M7 would reportedly be built on Intel’s 18A P process and enter mass production by the end of 2027. The A21, believed to be a future iPhone chip, would use Intel’s 14A process and enter mass production by the end of 2028.

If true, this would be a huge win for Intel Foundry. Apple is one of the most demanding chip customers in the world, and winning any Apple production would give Intel major credibility with other external customers.

For Apple, the benefit is capacity and supply chain flexibility. Relying almost entirely on TSMC has worked well, but AI demand is making advanced node capacity more crowded. A second leading edge foundry partner could help Apple reduce bottlenecks and control costs.

There is also an interesting competitive angle. Intel is trying to fight Apple’s influence in laptops, including through Googlebook devices and its own future PC chips. At the same time, Intel may end up manufacturing Apple chips for MacBooks and iPhones. That means Intel could be both Apple’s competitor and supplier.

Still, this remains a rumor. Apple has not confirmed the deal, and manufacturing future M series or A series chips at Intel would depend on yields, performance, power efficiency, volume, and timing. Apple is unlikely to move major chips away from TSMC unless Intel can prove its process technology is ready at scale.

The broader direction is clear, though. Advanced chip capacity is becoming strategic, not just technical. Apple wants more supply options, Intel wants a flagship foundry customer, and the US government wants more high end chip production tied to American fabs.

If the rumor is accurate, Intel could begin making Apple’s M7 by 2027 and an iPhone class A21 chip by 2028. That would mark one of the biggest shifts in Apple’s chip supply chain in years.