Overview
- Apple began early-stage talks with Intel and toured Samsung’s new Texas plant to build its main device processors in the U.S., Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
- The discussions are exploratory with no orders placed, and Apple has reservations about non-TSMC technology because of reliability and scale.
- CEO Tim Cook said on last week’s earnings call that Apple faces shortages of advanced processors, driven by AI data centers and stronger demand for AI-capable Macs that rely on 3‑nanometer-class chips.
- TSMC remains Apple’s primary foundry, with its Arizona facility expected to supply about 100 million chips in 2026, which covers only a fraction of Apple’s total needs.
- Investors reacted to the Bloomberg report as Intel shares rose in premarket trading and Samsung hit a record in Seoul, and a potential Intel deal could carry weight in Washington because the U.S. government holds an equity stake in the company.