Intel’s custom CPU for the MacBook Air →
https://marco.org/2008/01/15/intels-custom-cpu-for-the-macbook-air
It looks like Intel created Merom SFF specifically for the MacBook Air, a product that wasn’t in Intel’s lineup or roadmap but one that Apple needed. […] it’s a tremendous feat on Apple’s part. This isn’t the first time Intel has put together a one-off chip for Apple; if you’ll remember, the CPU in the Apple TV was a special Dothan that wasn’t a part of Intel’s standard lineup.
There’s more to Apple and Intel’s relationship than simply providing CPUs blindly in one direction.
Something tells me that even if AMD recaptured the x86 performance/efficiency edge (like it held for years before the Pentium M and Intel Core architecture), Macs would still be using Intel chips. And I bet the next version of the iPhone uses an Intel XScale CPU.