Apple Prepares M7 'Made In USA', Intel Is Called A Strong Candidate For New Chip Production

Apple has signed an NDA agreement with Intel (photo: x @gazlog_blog)

JAKARTA The semiconductor industry has flared up again after supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed the great opportunity that Intel will produce its next-generation Apple Silicon chip, M7, at the United States plant starting in 2027. This rumor is not the first, but Kuo's latest report feels much more concrete than previous rumors.

So far, all M-series chips used by Macs and iPads have been designed by Apple but are produced by TSMC in Taiwan and its facilities abroad, including China. However, the new scenario opens up the possibility that the entry-level M7 line will be officially made on American soil, utilizing Intel 18AP process nodes targeted to be ready by mid-2027.

Kuo said Apple had signed an NDA agreement with Intel to test the suitability of their manufacturing technology. Preliminary simulations and joint research are said to be successful, so Apple is now just waiting for Intel's full readiness to enter the large-scale production process. If all goes according to industry tactics, Intel's M7 chips could appear in the iPad and non-Pro class MacBook within two years of the process being ready.

The Pro and Max versions, according to the same report, will still be produced by TSMC. The new chip has also remained ARM-based, such as all Apple Silicon chips since 2020, although the manufacturers are different. Even though Intel is a manufacturer, the chip doesn't use the x86 architecture at all, so it doesn't return Apple to the old ecosystem.

Rumors of Apple re-engaging Intel in chip production have been heard since three years ago, but this report is the clearest signal that the two are starting to get back together after a long "diverse" in 2020.

There are two strategic reasons that are said to encourage Apple to open space for Intel. First, diversify supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the global production chain and made Apple more aggressive in reducing dependence on one company or one country. Adding Intel as a chip supplier gives Apple an extra way out in the event of geopolitical disturbances or production barriers in Asia.

The second reason is more political. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has long pressured tech companies to bring back manufacturing to their own country. Transferring part of Apple Silicon's chip production to Intel can be seen as Apple's tactical move to ease pressure, as well as opening up opportunities for special treatment amid changing global tariff conditions.

Many things can still shift, but one thing is clear: the collaboration between Apple and Intel in the ARM world will be one of the most interesting steps in the global technology map. If these rumors become a reality, the chip industry will enter a new chapter that brings together old history and future ambitions.