Apple has signed on to a multiyear, multibillion-dollar agreement with Broadcom, a chipmaker based in the US. The company announced the news on Tuesday, saying it will continue to work with the chipmaker to develop 5G components and other wireless connectivity parts.
From the announcement:
Through this collaboration, Broadcom will develop 5G radio frequency components — including FBAR filters — and cutting-edge wireless connectivity components. The FBAR filters will be designed and built in several key American manufacturing and technology hubs, including Fort Collins, Colorado, where Broadcom has a major facility.
Apple already partners with Broadcom to make Wi-Fi and Bluetooth tech for its iPhones. However, rumors from earlier this year indicated that Apple had been working on its own in-house chip to replace the one from Broadcom. At the time, a report from Bloomberg suggested that it planned on using the new chip in 2025, but it’s unclear how this deal could relate to those plans.
Apple says its multiyear partnership with the company will “enable Broadcom to continue to invest in critical automation projects and upskilling with technicians and engineers” and is part of Apple’s efforts to invest $430 billion in the US over the course of five years. Under the CHIPS and Science Act, the US will provide $52 billion in subsidies for companies to build chips in the US. Apple will start using some of the chips made in TSMC’s factory in Arizona once it opens.
“We’re thrilled to make commitments that harness the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of American manufacturing,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “All of Apple’s products depend on technology engineered and built here in the United States, and we’ll continue to deepen our investments in the U.S. economy because we have an unshakable belief in America’s future.”
