Apple Explores Intel and Samsung for Chipmaking
Apple wants a second source. Intel and Samsung want it to be them.
Bloomberg Reports
Bloomberg reported on May 5, 2026, that Apple is in early-stage discussions with Intel and Samsung about manufacturing some of its M-series processors. The talks are exploratory; the signal is significant.
Apple's Silicone Strategy
For nearly a decade, Apple has relied on a single foundry relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). 9to5Mac confirmed the Bloomberg reporting the same day, highlighting it as the most concrete indication yet that Apple is taking foundry concentration risks seriously enough to act upon them.
Apple is not planning to abandon TSMC. The discussions are at an early stage, no orders have been placed, and Apple has internal concerns about whether non-TSMC technology can match the yield, performance, and timing it depends on.
Strategic Logic
The most likely scenario, according to AppleInsider’s analysis, is that Apple uses Intel or Samsung for its lower-end M-series parts—found in MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and similar mid-volume products—while retaining its highest-performance silicon on TSMC nodes. Initial shipments of any non-TSMC part are not expected until the second or third quarter of 2027.
The strategic logic is two-fold:
- Geopolitical: TSMC’s concentration in Taiwan poses a known supply chain risk, and Apple has been quietly diversifying around this issue for years.
- Commercial: Intel’s foundry services have been rebuilding under Lip-Bu Tan's leadership, with Apple as one of the customer relationships Intel has pursued most aggressively. Samsung's foundry, while behind TSMC on leading-edge nodes, boasts historical capability and excess capacity. Both companies are eager to secure Apple business.
The Challenge
The hard problem is yield. Industry analysts at Semiwiki have tracked the gap between TSMC’s leading-edge nodes and Intel’s and Samsung’s equivalents through 2026, finding that both alternative foundries are drawing closer to TSMC’s quality but still haven't fully closed the gap.
For Apple, which ships tens of millions of M-series units annually, even a small yield difference can translate into significant product cost and customer experience variations.
Supply context also matters. TWN reported last week that Apple raised the entry-level Mac mini’s starting price from $599 to $799 after AI-driven demand depleted inventory at higher configurations. This kind of demand pressure makes any foundry diversification more urgent but also riskier: a yield problem with a new manufacturing partner could amplify.