Apple M7 tipped to be manufactured by Intel Foundry

Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has some interesting news about the future of Apple's M series. Apparently, the 'lowest-end' chip will be manufactured by Intel Foundry. The exact node isn't known, but Kuo opines it could be Intel 18AP, which is scheduled to become operational sometime in 2027. The news effectively confirms an earlier rumour that Apple and Nvidia were eyeing Intel Foundry for future products.

However, Kuo's wording implies Apple will still rely on TSMC for its higher-end offerings. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume the Apple M7 will be the only chip to be manufactured on Intel 18AP, while the M7 Pro and M7 Max will likely use TSMC N2P or A18. The vanilla M7 will likely power future iPad and MacBook Air models, and maybe even future Vision Pro iterations. 

If true, the Apple M7 will be the first chip to skip TSMC altogether. It is a bit early to predict how it'll perform. We should have a better idea once consumer-grade Intel 18A-based products, such as Panther Lake, hit shelves next year. Overall, it is a significant win for Intel Foundry as an established player like Apple will help attract other major players like Qualcomm.