"It's far from done. Let's take it in phases. First was the honeymoon, where we won Apple as a customer," the exec told the publication. "The second phase was execution and getting products done and, third, we just finished that. The MacBook Pro was the last product. We just finished the birthing. We've just gotten that done, but a number of projects are under way with Apple on next-generation technologies -- but I can't detail those. Apple is very secretive, even to us. It's the nature of the company."

Gelsinger, however, admitted that the growing Apple-Intel partnership was a cause for concern for Microsoft, one of its key strategic partners, but that Intel was working closely with the software-giant in many ways.

"Well, certainly, of course [it is a cause for concern]. They look at it that way. But our response [to Microsoft] is that we have a customer that wants to use our silicon. Of course we support them. At the same time, I'd say our Microsoft relationship is as good if not better than it has been in our 20-year history."

Both companies stand to benefit from a strong PC industry, he said.

"We both see that we might have border quibbles on a particular issue, but if the PC industry is not good for [Microsoft], then it's not good for us. That shared challenge and opportunity [for Intel and Microsoft] is significant. We have a mutual view of the business market [and grapple with issues like] what does it take to address security and management?"