Intel's 18A-P node hits a milestone, with Apple and Google reportedly circling

The advanced process enters risk production, and a tie-up with Taiwan's UMC takes aim at TSMC's foundry lead.

Intel's plan to win back the lead in chip manufacturing reached a real checkpoint this month: its 18A-P process node entered risk production, the stage just before high-volume manufacturing where a fab proves it can make chips reliably enough to commit to. More striking are the reported customers. Apple and Google are said to have shown interest, which would be a notable vote of confidence in a foundry that has spent years playing catch-up.

Intel also formed a strategic partnership with Taiwan's UMC, a move aimed squarely at chipping away at TSMC's dominance of the contract chipmaking business. TSMC builds the chips inside most of the world's best phones and laptops, so any credible second source matters for an industry that has learned the hard way what over-reliance on one supplier can do.

Why it matters to you

None of this shows up in a product you can buy this week. But the foundry that makes your future phone and laptop chips is being decided right now, and more competition tends to mean better availability and less brutal pricing down the line. Intel still has to convert interest into signed, shipping deals, so treat the Apple and Google talk as encouraging rather than confirmed.

Source: Distill Intelligence