Apple Inc. has held exploratory discussions about using Intel Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. to produce the main processors for its devices in the United States, according to a report by The Information on May 4, 2026. The move would offer a secondary option beyond longtime partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which currently manufactures the majority of Apple's custom chips.
The talks are in early stages and no final decision has been made, sources familiar with the matter told The Information. Apple is seeking to diversify its supply chain amid geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China, as well as concerns over TSMC's concentration in Taiwan.
Intel, which has been expanding its foundry business, could produce chips at its facilities in Arizona or New Mexico. Samsung, which already manufactures some Apple components like displays, has chip fabrication plants in Texas. Both companies have been investing heavily in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
Apple's A-series and M-series chips are currently designed by Apple and fabricated exclusively by TSMC. Shifting some production to Intel or Samsung would mark a significant change in Apple's supply chain strategy. The company has previously used Samsung for iPhone processors, but moved to TSMC exclusively starting with the A8 chip in 2014.
