Intel shares climbed 10% after Donald Trump said on social media that Apple had agreed to work with the chipmaker on developing and making its processors. Intel did not comment, but the market did the talking. The move came after a Wall Street Journal report that the two companies had reached a preliminary agreement, and it adds another twist to Intel’s awkward but very public push to become a serious foundry again.
If the Apple chip deal sounds familiar, that is because it is. Apple once relied on Intel inside Macs before switching to its own chips, so any renewed tie-up would be less of a reunion than a pragmatic supply-chain hedge. For Intel, even a limited deal would matter: winning a marquee customer can open doors, but it also sets a very high bar for execution.
A possible return to Apple silicon supply
Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon suggested the collaboration would likely start with ”small-volume, less critical parts.” That sounds about right. Apple is not known for handing over important manufacturing work unless the partner has already proved it can deliver, and Intel still has to prove that its manufacturing reset is more than investor-relations theater.
The timing is awkwardly good for Intel. The company has spent months talking up its contract manufacturing ambitions, and it recently began pilot production on its latest 18A-P process, a step toward full-scale output. At the same time, demand for advanced chips is straining TSMC, which makes processors for Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and plenty of others, leaving customers looking for backup capacity whether they like it or not.
Intel’s foundry push is getting a boost from AI chips
Intel’s pitch is no longer just about making CPUs for PCs and servers. The company is leaning into the AI buildout, where central processors and onboard neural engines are becoming more important as firms move toward agentic AI systems that do work on a user’s behalf. GPUs still dominate AI data centers, but the more software starts acting for people instead of merely answering them, the more CPU capacity matters.
- Intel shares rose 10% on the Apple-related report.
- The reported deal was described as preliminary and potentially limited in scope.
- Intel recently started pilot production on its 18A-P process.
- The company is also reported to be making TPU chips for Google, while Nvidia is exploring its factories.
The bigger question is whether this is a one-off headline boost or the start of a real client list for Intel Foundry. A few small orders would be enough to keep the stock story alive; a meaningful Apple relationship would be something else entirely. For now, Intel has momentum, a lot of promises, and a market willing to cheer any sign that the plan is working.