History Repeats Itself as Apple Explores Using Intel's 18AP Advanced Node

In 2020, Apple stopped using Intel chips and switched to its own Apple Silicon chips for all Mac computers. These new chips offer better performance and use less power. Now, less than five years later, Intel is poised once again to make chips for Apple, though under very different circumstances and with a fundamentally distinct role.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's latest supply-chain report, Intel will start producing Apple's lowest-end M-series processor on its 18AP advanced node as early as mid-to-late 2027, a year before Apple drops support for Intel-based Macs. Apple has received early versions of a design kit from Intel and completed internal tests that showed positive results. The complete design kit is expected to arrive around the first quarter of 2026. This will lead to actual chip production starting about 18 months later. The target products are MacBook Air and iPad Pro, which together ship ...