Apple has announced a multi-year partnership with the American chipmaker Broadcom. It is a multibillion-dollar agreement that means Broadcom will develop Apple’s “5G radio frequency components — including FBAR filters — and cutting-edge wireless connectivity components.”
Apple repeatedly highlighted in its statement that the partnership with Broadcom will mean more jobs in the United States. Jobs moving abroad has been a growing concern in North America. Rogers recently moved outsourced customer service jobs back to Canada.
“We’re thrilled to make commitments that harness the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of American manufacturing,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said in the 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.”
Apple referred specifically to FBAR filters, which it said: “will be designed and built in several key American manufacturing and technology hubs.” In 2021, Apple committed to investing $430 billion USD (about $580 billion CAD) in the U.S. economy and creating 20,000 new jobs.
Broadcom already developed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth tech for Apple phones. However, Bloomberg reported in January that Apple was planning to drop Broadcom by developing its own chip in-house for use by 2025.
