Apple is exploring options to produce some of the main processors for its devices in the United States beyond its longtime manufacturing partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Multiple reports say Apple has held early, exploratory discussions with Intel about using Intel’s chipmaking services, and that Apple executives have visited a Samsung Electronics plant under development in Texas. The reported goal is to create a secondary supply option if Apple decides it needs diversification.
Separate coverage also indicates Apple is evaluating whether to shift some low-end processor production away from TSMC to alternative suppliers, which would depart from a cooperation tradition spanning roughly 12 years. Separately, Intel is described as being in early talks with Apple and TSMC regarding potential investment or cooperation.
While the discussions are described as preliminary and no orders are reported, sources cited by outlets say Apple considers concerns about using non-TSMC technology and about whether Intel or Samsung could match TSMC’s scale and production reliability. The reports connect the review to broader supply-demand pressures and the ongoing impact of AI-driven semiconductor demand.
