Well, this particular Intel- and Apple iPhone 18-focused rumor proved to be unusually ephemeral, not even managing to survive a full turning of the clock.
A much more credible source has just demolished the prospects of Intel fabricating the A20 chip for Apple's base iPhone 18, terming the source of this rumor "a well-known blowhard."
The chances that Intel will get to fabricate the A20 chip for Apple's base iPhone 18 have suddenly and irrevocably tanked
Just a few hours back, we shared a tip from Weibo-based Fixed-focus digital cameras, who disclosed that "the standard iPhone 18 will utilize Intel's 18A process." Given the overwhelming odds of the A20 chip powering the base iPhone 18, the only logical conclusion from this particular tip was to pencil in the possibility that the A20 chip itself would be fabricated by Intel.
Well, fast forward a few hours, and a much more credible tipster, Jukan, has decimated the earlier tip, disclosing that a thorough review of Apple's documents that were recently leaked rom a Tata-controlled factory in India could not corroborate Fixed-focus digital camera's assertions, going on to label the Weibo-based leaked "a well-known blowhard."
Of course, this does not mean that Intel won't make any chips for Apple in the near future. After all, Apple and Intel reportedly inked a preliminary chip fabrication deal back in May, While the specifics of the agreement are not known yet, it likely resembles the one between Apple and TSMC, where the former designs custom chips based on ARM's intellectual property, while the latter fabricates them on its advanced node lines.
Under this tentative partnership, Apple is likely to leverage Intel's 18A-P process for the base M7 chips that are expected to ship in 2027. What's more, the Cupertino-based tech giant is now expected to fabricate its 2028-launching A22 chip either on Intel's 18A-P process or the more advanced 14A one, with around 80 percent of Apple's planned orders with Intel reportedly pertaining to this iPhone-geared chip.
Do note that recent reports have suggested that Apple will leverage TSMC's 1.4nm node for its A22 Pro chips. This then only increases the probability for Apple to adopt Intel's 14A process for the base A22 chips.
Also, Apple has already procured PDK samples from Intel to evaluate its 18A-P process. In the same vein, GF Securities believes that Apple's upcoming ASIC - dubbed Baltra and expected to launch either in 2027 or 2028 - will also leverage Intel's EMIB packaging.
Thankfully, the market is closed today on account of the July 04 holiday. Otherwise, the round-trip in Intel shares might have been brutal.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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