#chip manufacturing

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple is poised to bring Intel back into its Mac ecosystem, this time not as a chip designer but as a manufacturing partner. According to the report, Intel could start producing Apple’s lowest-end M-series chips on its advanced 18A process as early as mid-2027, potentially for future MacBook Air, iPad Air, and iPad Pro models. Unlike the old Intel x86 processors used in Macs before 2020, these chips would still be Apple-designed Arm-based silicon, with Intel acting only as a foundry while TSMC continues to handle the bulk of M-series production. The move would support US manufacturing goals and help Apple diversify its supply chain, even as macOS Tahoe remains the last major release to support legacy Intel-based Macs. Envisioned as the country's first AI-native industrial acceleration hub, the massive development launched in April 2026 is designed to host chip fabrication facilities, critical minerals processing plants, hyperscale data centers, and advanced research labs. Backed by these regional networks, the local electronics sector is targeting $110 billion in exports by 2030 by moving away from basic low-cost assembly and shifting directly into higher-value segments like integrated circuit design and wafer manufacturing. Read more in our articles including "Apple may tap Intel again to manufacture future M-series Mac chips" and "Nothing teases Phone (4b) in cryptic teaser video".