Apple CEO Tim Cook Was Unimpressed With Intel’s Chipmaking Services In 2011 Reveals TSMC Founder

wccftech.com:

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

Apple CEO Tim Cook did not hold back when describing Intel's contract manufacturing division to TSMC founder Dr. Morris Chang when he set up the world's largest contract chip manufacturer. In his autobiography, Dr. Chang shared his journey of setting up TSMC and landing a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss making chips for the firm. According to the details, Cook was left unimpressed by Intel's contract manufacturing capabilities, and he shared his opinion with Chang in a meeting that would end up shaping one of the most consequential decisions for the semiconductor industry.

Intel's Decision To Compete With TSMC For Apple's Business Led To A Two-Month Negotiation Suspension

TSMC is Apple's primary contract manufacturer for all processors found in the iPhone, MacBook, iPad and other gadgets. The iPhone is Apple's biggest product, and while Apple did experiment with a dual-source strategy for its chip requirements with some iPhone models, purported quality problems with Samsung Foundry's products forced the firm to rely on TSMC as its sole-source for all processor chip requirements.

Related Story Apple Forgoes 2nm Fabrication For M5 Chip Due To High Costs, Opts For TSMC’s System-On-Integrated-Chip Technology; Mass Production Begins Late 2025

The close partnership between the two also enables Apple to control the design of not only its smartphone but also its computer processors. The latter has enabled it to shift away from Intel's chips, as it can secure access to TSMC's leading-edge manufacturing technologies before any other firm in the world.

TSMC's founder, Dr. Morris Chang, shared details about his earliest discussion with Apple to initially manufacture chips for the iPhone. The iPhone was Apple's first mobile gadget to use the A series chips, as other products, such as the iPad, were released later. Apple's