When Apple began to build its own processors for iPhones and iPads in 2009 – 2010, it initially used Samsung Foundry, but after custom silicon became a key advantage of iPhones over rivals in the early 2010s, the company began to explore other makers as Samsung was Apple's primary rival at the time. The company considered using Intel Custom Foundry (ICF) and Texas Instruments but quickly realized the ICF was not tailored for external customers at all, while TI did not have advanced process technologies. As a result, it chose TSMC as its exclusive supplier, according to Morris Chang, the founder of TSMC, who spoke to Acquired.
"The [CEO] of Intel has approached Tim Cook and has asked Tim Cook to consider Intel, and at this time, Intel was the major supplier for Apple's Mac line," Chang reminisced. "I knew a lot of Intel's customer customers in Taiwan […] none of them liked Intel [as it] always acted like they were the the only guy [with] microprocessors. […] The Foundry business where TSMC […] does not compete with customers and even if Intel is trying to do business in good faith they do have the conflict [of interests."
