Intel's loss of Apple's chip custom during the Apple Silicon era was due to Apple trusting TSMC more. Years later, it's a lesson that Intel hasn't taken to heart. Apple's transition from Intel chips to those of its own design in 2020 was a big blow to the U.S. chip maker. It was a move that was not only hugely beneficial to Apple but also to TSMC, which handled the manufacturing of Apple Silicon.

While President Donald Trump announced in June that Apple has agreed to work with Intel to produce some of its chips on U.S. soil, it isn't really a homecoming for Apple. According to a report by Culpium released on Wednesday, trust was a reason Intel lost Apple's business in the first place. It's something that Intel also struggles with, even after regaining Apple's custom. By contrast, Apple's trust in TSMC is high and pretty much unshaken.

Background engineering Intel and Apple have a history of repeated negotiations and a tense relationship. Aside from the later issues with processors for Macs, there was also the attempt by Steve Jobs to convince it to make a mobile processor. In that instance, Intel declined, allowing Samsung to step in. However, Apple wasn't that trusting of Samsung, because it was both a supplier and a rival in various ways.

After working with Google on Android, Samsung couldn't be trusted by Jobs, which he valued more than chip performance. At the same time, TSMC was building up its foundry model by working with Nvidia and Qualcomm. It also didn't directly compete with its clients by making and selling its own chips, helping build trust. This trust was a "very big deal," according to Nvidia founder Jensen Huang.