Could Intel's latest moves signal a new chapter in its relationship with Apple?

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Apple and Intel's relationship has shifted from partnership to split, and now, to possible reconciliation. (Image credit: Getty Images | Jonathan Raa)

Apple and Intel were once closely tied. Intel powered Apple's line of Mac devices, and for years, the partnership looked solid.

Their history actually dates back to the 1990s with the secret Star Trek project, an early attempt to get Mac OS running on Intel processors. That effort never launched, but the two companies finally came together in 2005 when Steve Jobs announced at WWDC that Apple would transition from PowerPC to Intel chips. At the time, Intel's processor roadmap looked far stronger, marking a major shift in Apple's computing strategy.

Now, years after their split, Intel appears to be seeking Apple's help once again.

In 2006, Apple launched its first Intel-based Macs. The iMac and MacBook Pro both shipped with Intel's Core Duo processors, and by August of that year, Apple had already completed the transition across its entire Mac lineup.

Things looked strong for the partnership, but Apple was already planning ahead. In 2008, it acquired P.A. Semi for $278 million to develop custom ARM-based chips for mobile devices. This move marked the start of Apple's long-term strategy to reduce its reliance on external chipmakers.

By 2010, Apple had introduced the A4 processor in the original iPad. It was a single-core chip running at 1GHz, a modest start that would see rapid improvement in the years that followed. By 2015 and 2016, Apple's A9 series had arrived, and this is where the relationship with Intel began to show strain.

Apple had already begun looking elsewhere to meet its LTE demands, turning to Qualcomm for support. By 2018, Intel struggled to keep up with Apple's performance requirements.

In 2019, Apple acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business for $1 billion. The deal gave Apple control over a key iPhone component, and later that year, Intel sold the rest of its modem business to Apple.

The real breaking point came in 2020 with the announcement of the M1 chipset. It was Apple's first ARM-based processor for Macs, and it proved to be a breakthrough. The M1 was so successful that Apple fully discontinued the use of Intel processors in 2021.

It's no secret that Intel has struggled in recent years. Between 2021 and 2024, it lost market share to AMD and missed out on the AI boom dominated by Nvidia. During this period, Intel's stock declined by more than 30%.

Even Intel's leadership has been blunt about the situation. CFO David Zinsner admitted the company "fumbled the football" with its Arrow Lake CPUs, and CEO Lip-Bu Tan has warned there are no quick fixes for Intel's problems.

Still, it's not all bad news. SoftBank recently invested $2 billion in Intel, while the U.S. government acquired a 9.9% stake worth $8.9 billion. Nvidia has also invested $5 billion, giving it a 4% share in the company.

Now, according to reporting from Bloomberg, Intel has even approached Apple about a potential investment and closer collaboration. Talks are still in early stages, and there's no guarantee of a deal, but it shows how far Intel is willing to go to secure its future.