chip-manufacturing

Apple and Intel have struck a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture some Apple chips, ending a six-year split and handing Intel Foundry its most consequential customer win yet.

Elon Musk picked Intel's 14A process for Tesla's Terafab AI chip complex, handing the struggling Intel Foundry its first marquee external win for a node that is still years from volume production.

TSMC debuted its A13 and A12 process nodes and updated its full roadmap through 2029 at its North America Technology Symposium, while confirming A16 volume production slides to 2027.

The industry association's latest 300mm Fab Outlook report forecasts an 18 percent jump in equipment spending this year, with investments projected to exceed $150 billion for the first time in 2027 as AI demand drives historic commitments to advanced capacity across all major regions.

TSMC's US footprint could triple from $165 billion to $465 billion under a proposed tariff deal, with four Arizona fabs already fully booked before construction is complete.

TSMC and Intel have entered preliminary discussions to form a joint venture that would see TSMC operate Intel's U.S. manufacturing facilities, with the Taiwanese chipmaker holding up to 20 percent and pitching Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom as co-investors.

Beijing is mandating domestic sourcing for new fabs and racing to build an independent semiconductor equipment supply chain, with three Chinese firms now in the global top 20 and a prototype EUV machine reportedly under assembly.