Apple has held early, exploratory talks with Intel and made visits to a Samsung chip plant under development in Texas as it looks at ways to build the main processors that power iPhones, iPads and Macs in the United States, people familiar with the deliberations said. The outreach would give Apple a potential second source beyond longtime manufacturing partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), but so far the discussions have not produced any orders and remain preliminary.
People briefed on the matter said Apple has had early-stage conversations with Intel about using the chipmaker’s foundry services, and that Apple executives have inspected Samsung’s U.S. fabrication project. Those people asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Spokespeople for Apple, Intel, Samsung and TSMC declined to comment on the discussions. Intel shares rose as much as 4 percent in premarket trading on Tuesday; the stock had gained about 160 percent year to date through Monday’s close at $95.78.
For more than a decade Apple has designed the systems-on-a-chip that are central to its devices and relied on TSMC to build them using the world’s most advanced manufacturing nodes. The company’s latest iPhones and Macs use chips produced on TSMC’s 3‑nanometre process. That technical edge and the sheer scale TSMC can deliver make it a difficult partner to replace, industry executives say, and Apple executives have expressed concerns about shifting to non‑TSMC technology.
The discussions follow mounting supply pressures across the chip industry. Bloomberg reported that recent shortages have been driven in part by a massive build‑out of AI data centres and higher‑than‑expected demand for Macs configured to run AI models locally. Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, highlighted the problem on the company’s recent earnings call, saying a lack of chips for iPhone and Mac production “is constraining growth” and that the business has “less flexibility in the supply chain than we normally would.”
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Moving significant volumes of Apple-designed silicon to alternative manufacturers would be technically and logistically complex. Intel and Samsung both operate foundries and have been investing to win more contract-manufacturing work, but analysts warn neither currently matches TSMC’s combination of leading-edge process technology and the scale needed for Apple’s annual chip requirements. Apple’s internal evaluation reportedly includes the trade-offs of adopting different process technologies and the engineering required to migrate designs.
The potential shift underscores a broader trend among major technology firms to diversify and localise semiconductor supply chains amid geopolitical uncertainty and surging demand for AI-capable hardware. Several other players in the sector are exploring domestic manufacturing or new partnerships to secure access to advanced chips. For Apple, any move away from TSMC would be gradual and contingent on suppliers proving they can meet both performance and volume demands.
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At this stage there is no indication Apple has decided to place production contracts with either Intel or Samsung. The talks reflect precautionary contingency planning by one of the world’s largest chip customers; whether they result in a meaningful change to Apple’s longtime reliance on TSMC remains unclear.
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