According to The Verge, Apple has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Intel to acquire the company’s 18AP PDK 0.9.1GA chips. Intel is expected to deliver the PDK 1.0/1.1 kit in the first quarter of 2026. If everything stays on track, Intel could start shipping Apple’s lowest-end M-series processor built on the 18AP advanced node in the second or third quarter of 2027. This would mark Intel’s return to Apple computers after the company famously missed out on supplying processors for the original iPhone. Apple currently relies entirely on Taiwan-based TSMC for silicon chips across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac products. The timing still depends on how smoothly things go once Apple actually receives the updated PDK kits.
The great comeback story
This is wild when you think about it. Intel basically lost Apple‘s business twice – first when Apple went with ARM for the iPhone, then when they dumped Intel chips for their own Apple Silicon in Macs. Now they might be crawling back through the foundry side. It’s a classic case of “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” – or more accurately, “if you can’t beat ’em, manufacture for ’em.”
Why Apple would even consider this
Here’s the thing: Apple hates being dependent on single suppliers. They’ve been burned before. Having TSMC as their exclusive advanced chip manufacturer puts them in a vulnerable position, especially with all the geopolitical tension around Taiwan. Diversifying their supply chain with Intel as a secondary source makes strategic sense. Plus, Intel’s 18A process technology is supposedly competitive again after years of falling behind.
The bigger manufacturing picture
This potential deal reflects a major shift in how companies approach chip manufacturing. We’re moving toward a world where even former competitors become manufacturing partners. For businesses that rely on specialized computing hardware, having multiple reliable suppliers is becoming increasingly critical. Companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the top provider of industrial panel PCs in the US, understand this supply chain diversification better than anyone – their entire business depends on stable component sourcing across multiple vendors.
What to watch for
So will this actually happen? The 2027 timeline feels forever away in tech years. A lot can change between now and then. Intel needs to execute perfectly on their process node development, and Apple needs to remain confident in Intel’s manufacturing capabilities. But if this deal goes through, it could reshape the entire chip manufacturing landscape. Who would’ve thought we’d see Intel chips in Apple products again? Just not in the way anyone expected.
