Apple plans to bring as much design in-house continues pace with a new report that the company will finally launch an in-house chip for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity next year.
The report comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says that the in-house chip, dubbed Proxima, will be built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which makes most of Apple’s chips now.
It should be noted that this is a different part and move than the recent news that Apple will roll out in-house designed modems in the next three years. However, the goal is the same as removing parts built by Broadcom and Qualcomm.
According to Gurman, unnamed sources say the company’s goal is to develop an “end-to-end wireless approach” where all components are integrated and more energy-efficient.
It’s speculated that Apple’s tighter control over how devices connect to networks and Wi-Fi hubs will give the company more ways to alter designs, including thinner devices like the iPhone 17 Air and wearables.
Before we arrive, Apple is expected to launch a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip in updated versions of the Apple TV set-top box and a new HomePod mini smart speaker. It may also launch in iPhones next year, with iPad and Mac getting a version in 2026.
This aligns with a report from early November claiming that the iPhone 17 would feature Apple’s home-made Wi-Fi chip from analyst Ming Chi-Kuo.
The new chip won’t match Broadcom’s current offerings but will offer Wi-Fi 6E standard.
Meanwhile, the updated HomePod, which will launch sometime next year, was just tipped to have a 6-to 7-inch OLED display. That device is supposed to be more of a smart home controller than a speaker. Gurman has previously said that Apple is working on versions with a wall-mounted iPad-like display and a version with a robotic arm.
With the new Wi-Fi chip, the HomePod should work more closely with other smart home devices. Apple is supposed to push into smart home devices next year. Gurman even throws away at the end of the article that Apple is working on a standalone security camera.
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