Apple and Intel are moving closer to a foundry deal that could put Intel back inside Macs and iPads in 2027 - but this time, Intel would act as a contract manufacturer for Apple's M-series SoCs, not as a CPU supplier. The potential partnership, outlined by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a new note, would make Intel an additional advanced-node manufacturing partner alongside TSMC. The deal depends on how far Intel's 18AP process matures over the next 18 to 24 months. If it works out, it would be a historic turning point, strengthening Apple's chip supply chain and boosting Intel's ambitions in contract chipmaking.
The 18AP Process: Apple Has Started Evaluating Intel's 2nm Architecture
According to Kuo, Apple has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Intel to get early access to the 18AP process design kit (18AP process design kit - PDK), specifically revision 0.9.1 GA. The kit lets Apple's silicon team model and prototype designs for its M-series chips on Intel's upcoming node. Although the kit is not yet a complete version of the final manufacturing stack, it is enough for Apple to explore the architecture and begin early physical design work on an entry-level M-series SoC.
The next key milestone is Intel's delivery of the 1.0/1.1 PDK for the 18AP process, which Kuo says Apple expects to receive in the first quarter of 2026. If that schedule holds and the PDK is ready for production, Apple plans to design and ramp its next entry-level M chip, used in the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, on Intel's 18AP process. Intel could then begin high-volume shipments in the second or third quarter of 2027.
Intel's 18A family is the company's first 2nm process, built around second-generation RibbonFET (Gate-All-Around) transistors and PowerVia backside power delivery. The 18AP process is a performance- and packaging-focused variant of that platform. Kuo and other industry reports note that Apple's in-house M-series roadmap fits well with Intel's push to tightly integrate compute and memory in a single package, a philosophy similar to Intel's own Lunar Lake client platform.
Supply Chain Diversification and Intel's Comeback Ambitions
Any foundry deal between Apple and Intel hinges on the maturity and economics of Intel's processes. The company has signaled steady progress on both yield and roadmap. Intel executives recently said 18A yield is improving by about 7% per month as Panther Lake client CPUs move toward volume production. That yield is reportedly equal to or better than earlier high-volume nodes once die size is taken into account.
Kuo frames the foundry relationship as serving Apple's desire to diversify away from a single advanced-node supplier (TSMC) and, in the current political climate, to demonstrate a deeper commitment to US-based semiconductor manufacturing. For Intel, landing Apple as the flagship customer for the 18AP process would be strong proof that its foundry business turnaround is gaining momentum after years of delays and strategic missteps.
The company has told investors it is aiming for its foundry business to break even around 2027. Winning orders from top designers for high-volume, advanced SoCs is central to that plan. Kuo argues that a successful partnership with Apple could make it easier for Intel to attract or expand business from other large customers who are weighing Intel's offerings against TSMC's N2-class portfolio.
