The American technology corporation Apple has begun preliminary negotiations with two major semiconductor manufacturers — Intel and Samsung Electronics — regarding the possible production of key processors for its devices in the US. Such a step could be an important stage in the diversification of the company's production base.

This is reported by Reuters with reference to Bloomberg. According to sources, Apple representatives have already visited the construction site of Samsung's new factory in Texas, which is still under construction.

In parallel, the company is consulting with Intel regarding the possible involvement of its production facilities for the production of its own chips. This would potentially allow Apple to reduce its dependence on its long-standing main partner — the Taiwanese company TSMC, which currently manufactures most of the key components for its devices.

The initiative to find new production partners is primarily related to the problems of component supply. During the last financial report, Apple's management indicated that it was the shortage of advanced processors that limited sales of iPhone smartphones.

CEO Tim Cook said chip shortages were a key factor affecting production capacity. In particular, the iPhone 17 uses the same complex TSMC processes as modern chips for artificial intelligence systems, which increases the risks of dependence on a single supplier.

An additional challenge for Apple is the reliability of alternative manufacturers. The company, according to sources, has concerns about the ability of Intel and Samsung Electronics to provide the necessary production volumes and consistent quality that would meet TSMC standards.

The negotiations are currently at an early stage, and neither Intel nor Samsung have yet received any official orders from Apple. Representatives of all three companies have refrained from commenting on the possible development of cooperation, which indicates the preliminary nature of the discussions.