Overview
- A Wall Street Journal report Friday said Apple and Intel reached a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture some Apple‑designed chips after more than a year of talks, and both companies declined to comment.
- Investors cheered the report as Intel shares rose nearly 14% and Apple gained about 2%, reflecting hopes that Intel’s contract‑manufacturing push is gaining credible traction.
- U.S. officials helped tee up the talks, with the government now holding roughly a 10% Intel stake and President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pressing Apple to use domestic fabs.
- Apple is seeking backup capacity because it relies on TSMC for advanced chips at a time when AI demand from companies like Nvidia is crowding production, and Tim Cook has cited chip shortages that constrained recent iPhone and Mac supply.
- Key details remain unconfirmed, and some outlets speculate about Intel’s 18A‑P process, low‑end M‑series parts, and earliest production around mid‑2027, which are estimates rather than settled plans.