Apple has signed a multi-year, multi-billion dollar deal with Broadcom, a chipmaker based in the US. The company announced the news Tuesday, saying it will continue to work with the chipmaker to develop 5G components and other wireless connectivity parts.
Through this partnership, Broadcom will develop 5G radio frequency components – including FBAR filters – and advanced wireless connectivity components. The FBAR filters will be designed and built at several key U.S. manufacturing and technology centers, including Fort Collins, Colorado, where Broadcom has a large facility.
Apple is already working with Broadcom to create Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology for its iPhones. However, rumors from earlier this year indicated that Apple had been working on its own internal chip to replace Broadcom’s. At the time a report of Bloomberg suggested it planned to use the new chip in 2025, but it’s unclear how this deal compares to those plans.
Apple says the multi-year partnership with the company will “enable Broadcom to continue investing in critical automation projects and upskilling technicians and engineers.” Under the CHIPS and Science Act, the US will provide $52 billion in grants to companies to build chips in the US. Apple will begin using some of the chips made at TSMC’s Arizona facility once it opens.
“We are excited to make commitments that leverage the ingenuity, creativity and innovative spirit of American manufacturing,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “All of Apple’s products rely on technology developed and built right here in the United States, and we will continue to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy because we have an unwavering belief in America’s future.”