Cutting component costs might be part of its calculation, but improving performance, battery life, and the integration of these very different networking components might well yield a greater prize.

Apple now aims to introduce the first combined Wi-FI/Bluetooth chip in Apple TV and HomePod mini in early 2025, with the component set to appear in iPhones later next year. Macs and iPads will reportedly gain the new networking component in 2026. Current supplier Broadcom will continue to supply Apple with RF filters and is now working with it on development of AI chips for Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers. (Broadcom and Apple also have some relationship on development of 5G modems for Apple's devices.

To some extent, much of this was known. Apple's silicon development teams have been working on multiple chips for use in Apple devices for some time, including M-, A-, S- and R- series chips used in Macs, iPhones, iPads, the Apple Watch and Vision Pro.

It also makes the W-series processors that manage Bluetooth and battery use on Apple Watch; the H-series chips (which are more efficient than W-family processors) inside AirPods; and the U-series family of UWB processors. There may be a handful of additional Apple-designed silicon components still in play in some older devices -- it also made the T-series system management processors in late period Intel Macs.