Overview
- Apple has begun early talks with Intel and visited Samsung’s Texas fab, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, with no chip orders in place.
- AI data centers are soaking up leading-edge capacity, which Tim Cook said has left Apple with less supply-chain flexibility and slowed iPhone and Mac availability.
- Apple is cautious about using non‑TSMC manufacturing technology, so any shift would likely stay limited or not proceed.
- TSMC’s Phoenix plant is expected to ship about 100 million Apple chips in 2026, which would still cover only a small slice of Apple’s total needs.
- Intel and Samsung trail TSMC on production scale and steady yields, though a deal with Intel could also help Apple’s standing with a White House that invested in the chipmaker in 2025.