Apple will switch to its in-house "Proxima" WI-Fi and Bluetooth chip on its devices starting next year. The chip will debut on the Apple TV and HomePod mini next year.
By 2026, Apple will bring its in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module to the iPad and Mac.
Slowly but steadily, Apple wants to move away from third-party vendors for key device components. As part of the move, the Cupertino giant is developing an in-house 5G modem for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It will reportedly debut on the iPhone SE 4 next year, followed by the iPhone 17 Air in H2, 2025.
But that's not the only network chip Apple is working on. It is also designing a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for its devices. The company currently sources this chip from Broadcom, and this move will negatively impact the latter's revenue. Interestingly, Apple is working closely with Broadcom on AI server chips.
Bloomberg reports Apple will transition to its in-house 'Proxima' Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module from next year. It will first use the chip on its 2025 Apple TV refresh and HomePod mini. Presumably, Apple's rumored new home device, a tabletop iPad with a robotic arm, will also use this chip.
This will be followed by the iPhone 17 lineup later in the year.
TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first claimed the iPhone 17 could debut with Apple's in-house Wi-Fi chip.
Apple will once again rely on TSMC's expertise to build the chip. The company's first-gen Wi-Fi module may not match the performance and capabilities of Broadcom's Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip. However, it will purportedly support Wi-Fi 6E for greater throughoutput and bandwidth.
The report even states that Apple's in-house chips will allow its smart home devices to "work more closely together and potentially synchronize data more quickly."