Report: Apple Agreed to Intel Chips Amid White House Tariff Talks

Apple faced unit from the White House to usage Intel's chipmaking plants portion it was negotiating alleviation from semiconductor tariffs past summer, reports The Wall Street Journal ($).


In August 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook was successful Washington to lobby the Trump medication to driblet its projected 100 percent tariff connected semiconductor imports – a levy that would person raised costs crossed Apple's merchandise line. Apple reportedly secured an exemption aft pledging to put hundreds of billions of dollars successful the U.S., though galore of those investments were already planned.

During the meetings, president Trump and commerce caput Howard Lutnick are said to person urged Cook to usage Intel's fabrication plants to marque immoderate of Apple's chips. The nexus betwixt the tariff talks and the Apple-Intel woody had not been antecedently reported.

Almost a twelvemonth later, Trump announced via his Truth Social level that Apple would statesman utilizing Intel-made chips successful immoderate products. "We request to plan and physique our Chips close present successful America," the president posted. The quality sent Intel shares to grounds highs.

According to a idiosyncratic acquainted with the negotiations cited by the WSJ, Apple plans to person Intel marque chips for some Mac laptops and iPhones. The study doesn't accidental which chips oregon successful what volume, and Apple is expected to stay reliant connected Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, oregon TSMC, for the bulk of its customized silicon.

Apple hasn't looked to Intel arsenic a supplier before, some due to the fact that the chipmaker has trailed rivals similar TSMC and Samsung and owed to the rocky past betwixt the 2 companies.

The study suggests the statement is portion of a wider medication effort to prop up Intel, particularly since the U.S. authorities converted $9 cardinal successful national grants into a 10 percent equity involvement past year, making it the chipmaker's largest shareholder.

Nvidia and SpaceX person besides signed deals with Intel since then, reportedly with akin unit applied by the Trump administration.

Intel's foundry concern posted $10.4 cardinal successful operating losses implicit its past 4 fiscal quarters, and extracurricular customers person successful caller years doubted its quality to reliably nutrient usable silicon astatine a precocious volume. The WSJ study gives nary timeline for erstwhile Intel-made chips mightiness look successful shipping Apple products, and Apple has not commented connected the arrangement.
This article, "Report: Apple Agreed to Intel Chips Amid White House Tariff Talks" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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