About six months ago, other ZDNet author Adrian Kingsley-Hughes penned a part regarding Intel’s want to supply Apple with iPad processors inside the future. Because then, there’s been no signal which future is close to being on you, yet a analysis analyst has laid out a situation where it might become fact.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Doug Freedman believes which Apple plus Intel may enjoy inside a small quid professional quo with regards to mobile processor manufacturing inside the future. He argues which when Apple might receive Intel to manufacture the ARM-based chips it designs for future iterations of the iPhone, then Apple may agree to have Intel’s own x86-based processors be a element of later iPad pills.

That situation — 1 which neither side might ever confirm till the deal was struck — is less far-fetched than it could have when appeared, because Apple is seeing its wedding to Samsung unravel because of many patent plus IP-related lawsuits. After years of relying about Samsung to provide its iPhone plus iPad chips, Apple might clearly like to obtain another processor partner.

Intel plus Apple have had an on-again, off-again relationship over time, though today’s Macs utilize Intel processors as well as the 2 businesses worked found on the technologies behind the Thunderbolt interface together. According to our sister website CNET, the 2 companies have purportedly discussed a foundry relationship like the 1 Freedman envisions over the last couple of years, though, again, nothing official has ever been announced.

Intel has absolutely dabbled inside ARM-chip creation, having inked a deal with Netronome to create its custom chips back inside April. Stranger elements have occurred, thus don’t be surprised when the iPad 6 has Intel inside, owing to ARM-processor fabrication by Intel itself.