Why Apple needs Intel — and America needs them both

news analysisMay 15, 20265 mins

If you think about it, it’s in the national interest for Apple to work with Intel to develop at least some capacity for silicon production outside of Taiwan. It’s also in Apple’s interest, as its continued growth means it needs more and more chips to put inside an ever-expanding product catalog.

During Apple’s Q2 26 fiscal call, CEO Tim Cook said the lack of what he called “high-end nodes” is affecting sales, particularly for Macs. He shared this news even as the company’s MacBook Neo is setting new sales records for the Mac.

Apple’s success is creating a chip problem

The need to source all those chips might have prompted Apple to reach out to Intel on how the two firms could work together on processor production once again. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now believes Apple is evaluating Intel’s advanced node technologies with a view to processor supply. “Apple’s wafer plans at Intel reflect the technology lifecycle of the [Intel] 18A-P series: small-scale testing in 2026, ramp in 2027, continued growth in 2028, and decline in 2029,” he said.