Intel is courting two of the biggest names in tech as it tries to win business for its most advanced manufacturing technology.
According to a report by Tripp Mickle in The New York Times (surfaced by Techmeme), Intel has promised to deliver SpaceX and Apple a toolkit this fall that would let them test its 14A node. The idea is to give the companies a hands-on way to evaluate the technology before they make any final commitments to produce chips with Intel.
The 14A node refers to one of Intel's next-generation chipmaking processes — the kind of cutting-edge manufacturing that determines how fast and power-efficient a chip can be. Landing marquee customers like Apple or SpaceX would be a significant vote of confidence in Intel's ability to compete at the leading edge.
The report notes that Intel chief executive Lip-Bu Tan was a sought-after figure this week at a tech conference in San Francisco, where admirers surrounded him — a sign of the attention now trained on the company's turnaround efforts.
No deals have been finalized. The toolkit is essentially a trial run: a way for prospective customers to kick the tires before signing on as manufacturing clients.
Why it matters: If Intel can convince heavyweight customers like Apple and SpaceX to build chips in its factories, it would mark a major step in the company's bid to reclaim a place at the front of the global chipmaking race.