Apple announced a new multiyear, multibillion-dollar agreement with Broadcom to develop 5G radio frequency components.
The components Broadcom will manufacture for Apple include FBAR filters — and cutting-edge wireless connectivity components, said Apple.
FBAR, standing for Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator, is a technology used in the design of filters, particularly in the telecommunications sector. The FBAR filter is essentially a piezoelectric resonator that can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical acoustic wave, and then back into an electrical signal. This mechanism is exploited in the design of radio frequency (RF) filters, which are essential components in wireless devices like smartphones.
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 helps support more than 1,100 jobs in Broadcom’s Fort Collins FBAR filter manufacturing facility, and the partnership is expected to enable Broadcom to continue to invest in critical automation projects and upskilling with technicians and engineers.
The investments are part of the commitment Apple made in 2021 to invest $430 billion in the U.S. economy over five years, the Cupertino giant said.
[Image courtesy: Apple]