Apple reportedly exploring a deal to get iPhone chips made by Samsung

In the early days of the iPhone, Apple used Samsung Foundry and TSMC to manufacture its processors. However, Apple stopped working with Samsung Foundry in 2016 due to concerns related to thermal performance and design security. Now, it appears that Apple could return to Samsung Foundry for manufacturing future iPhone chips.

A report from Bloomberg claims that Apple is looking to diversify its supply chain and reduce its reliance on TSMC. As part of this effort, Apple executives have reportedly held early discussions with Intel Foundry and visited Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor manufacturing plant in Taylor, Texas. This is the same facility where Samsung Foundry plans to produce 2nm chips for Tesla.

Apple has also recently undergone leadership changes. Tim Cook has announced plans to step down as CEO, with John Ternus expected to take over. Johny Srouji continues as Apple’s Chief Hardware Officer, overseeing all hardware development. The company has reorganized its hardware division into five key areas, including Silicon, which is led by Sri Santhanam.

With the ongoing AI boom, a significant portion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity has been taken up by companies such as AMD and Nvidia. This has begun to impact the production of Apple’s A-series and M-series chips. As a result, Apple is exploring options to diversify its supply chain by considering Intel Foundry and Samsung Foundry.

Apple is still in the early stages of discussions with both companies, and it may ultimately decide not to move forward, as it remains cautious about relying on non-TSMC manufacturing processes.