Apple Intel Partnership: Chip-Making Deal Resurfaces

In a surprising development that signals a potential shift in Apple's semiconductor strategy, Apple and Intel have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture chips for Apple hardware, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal on Friday. This partnership marks a notable reversal of direction, as Apple famously transitioned away from Intel-powered computers in recent years with its highly successful shift to Apple Silicon, the custom-designed processors that have powered the company's Mac computers and other devices with impressive performance and efficiency gains.

The reported deal comes at a particularly interesting moment in Intel's corporate history. The semiconductor giant appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new Chief Executive Officer in March 2025, bringing fresh leadership and strategic vision to the struggling chipmaker. Additionally, in August of this year, the United States government made a significant move by taking a 10 percent stake in Intel, demonstrating the government's commitment to supporting domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. These developments set the stage for Intel's potential resurgence in the competitive chip market.

According to The Wall Street Journal's reporting, the specifics of which Apple products will receive Intel-manufactured chips remain unclear at this stage of negotiations. The agreement is described as preliminary, suggesting that further discussions and refinements are likely to occur before any concrete product launches featuring Intel chips take place. Neither Apple nor Intel has issued an official statement regarding the partnership, with both companies declining to comment when reached by The Verge for clarification on the matter.