Apple, Broadcom, and Qualcomm might soon become customers of Intel Foundry, but not for the typical reasons. These giants are considering Intel Foundry for its advanced packaging technologies , which could allow Intel to significantly increase its foundry revenue without manufacturing the actual silicon. Job listings from Apple, Broadcom, and Qualcomm highlight Intel's Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) as a key requirement for packaging engineer positions. This suggests they are keen on hiring engineers familiar with Intel's EMIB technology to help design their next-generation products.

Interestingly, Qualcomm's CEO recently stated that "Intel is not an option today," but expressed a desire for Intel to become a viable choice. He noted that Intel's current foundry node, likely the 18A, is not suitable for their mobile chips. The main focus of the 18A node is not on mobile, low-power system-on-chips (SoCs), but rather on mid-range and high-power solutions. As the CEO put it, "We design all of our chips assuming there's a battery on the other side, not plugged into the wall." However, 18A node is not what seemingly attracts customers like Qualcomm. It is the packaging that Intel offers. Last year, Broadcom tested the 18A node but expressed disappointment. However, the situation is now evolving differently, with Intel's advanced packaging emerging as a promising alternative to TSMC's CoWoS and other packaging types.