Irvine’s top chipmaker Broadcom Corp. could see gains from Friday’s big launch of Apple Inc.’s iPhone.
Broadcom is widely thought to be providing the chip that runs the iPhone’s touch screen.
Investors have made a guessing-game of the iPhone’s guts.
Being a supplier for the much-hyped supergadget could boost Broadcom’s sales if Apple reaches its goal of selling 10 million of them next year.
Apple has sought to keep its suppliers secrets, though there’s plenty to suggest Broadcom has a key role.
A year ago, USB analyst Alex Gauna called iPhone a “meaningful design win,” but didn’t give details or say how much revenue it could bring Broadcom.
He projected that Apple could sell as many as 12 million iPhones.
In February, Broadcom cofounder and Chairman Henry Samueli said in testimony in the company’s fight with Qualcomm Inc. that one of Broadcom’s chips is in the phone.
“We actually do have the chip inside the iPhone,” Samueli was quoted as saying in a court transcript.
Spokesmen for both Broadcom and Apple are mum on the issue.
Broadcom already supplies video chips used in some of Apple’s video iPods.
