Intel May Produce iPhone Chips by 2028 as Partnership With Apple Expands, Analysts Say

A new report from GF Securities suggests that Intel’s growing partnership with Apple could soon extend far beyond Mac processors. Following recent buzz that Intel has secured future orders for Apple’s M-series chips, analysts Jeff Pu and Evan Lee now believe the company is also positioned to manufacture iPhone silicon later this decade.

The forecast marks one of the strongest signs yet that Apple is preparing to diversify its chip supply chain—potentially reducing its dependence on TSMC, which has been Apple’s exclusive foundry for Apple Silicon since the M1.

Intel Expected to Begin Producing M-Series Chips in 2027

Pu and Lee reiterated their view that Intel will produce M-series processors on its upcoming 18A-P process node beginning in 2027. This aligns with earlier reports from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said Intel had already signed a non-disclosure agreement with Apple involving the 18AP process, likely for lower-end M-series chips destined for devices such as:

• MacBook Air
• Entry-level MacBook Pro
• iPad models

Intel’s 18A node has been widely viewed as a make-or-break moment for the company’s attempt to regain relevance in the foundry market.

Analysts Now Expect Intel to Produce iPhone Chips in 2028

The new research note goes further, predicting that Intel will win production orders for Apple’s “non-pro smartphone SoC” in 2028, using the company’s planned 14A process node. This suggests that Intel could manufacture the lower-tier A-series chips used in standard iPhone models—those that typically trail the Pro lineup by a generation.

GF Securities expects “firm visibility” into this potential deal by late 2025, adding that a portion of Intel’s recent share price momentum can be attributed to rising confidence around earlier M-series wins.

Intel Positioned for Backend Packaging Wins as TSMC Faces Strain

In addition to chip fabrication, the analysts highlight an emerging opportunity for Intel in backend packaging, an area where TSMC has faced significant capacity constraints due to overwhelming demand for AI accelerators.

Key technologies include:

• Intel EMIB (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge)
• TSMC CoWoS, currently under heavy demand

GF Securities sees a “high chance” that Intel will secure packaging orders for Apple’s ASICs as part of a hybrid supply-chain model, where both TSMC and Intel share responsibilities for different stages of chip production.

18A Yield Improvements Strengthen Intel’s Case

Confidence in Intel’s foundry capabilities has grown as internal yield numbers improve. According to the note:

• Intel’s 18A node reached 60–65% yield in November
• The process is targeting 70% yield by the end of 2025

These gains are crucial to convincing Apple—known for demanding extremely tight process stability—to commit long-term to Intel as a manufacturing partner.

What This Means for Apple and the Semiconductor Industry

If accurate, these forecasts represent a significant shift in Apple’s manufacturing strategy. A future where Apple relies on both TSMC and Intel:

• Reduces supply risk
• Strengthens Apple’s negotiating leverage
• Provides the production bandwidth needed for larger, more complex AI-driven chips
• For Intel, landing both Mac and iPhone silicon would be the company’s biggest foundry win in decades.

The Bottom Line

Intel’s evolving relationship with Apple is shaping up to be one of the semiconductor industry’s most consequential developments of the decade. With 18A performance improving and TSMC facing tight capacity, Intel may soon find itself manufacturing not only Apple’s Mac chips but eventually its iPhone processors as well—starting as early as 2028.