As the world's most valuable company, with a $2T market cap and over $100B in annual profit, Apple has long been known for its cell phones, laptops, tablets, and watches. Today, the company is investing aggressively in high-tech areas like AR/VR, AI, and semiconductors to lay the groundwork for products and features that affect health & wellness, mobility, digital connections, and more. In recent years, companies in the AR/VR space have become serious M&A targets for Apple, coinciding with rumors about its internal development of a mixed reality headset that is expected to release in 2023 (eventually followed by a sleeker pair of glasses). While Apple has not been explicit about its metaverse ambitions like fellow big tech giant Meta, its continued investment in AR/VR sets it up for more immersive digital environments of the future -- and the hardware they may need. II-VI makes the optical technologies that power features like Face ID and Portrait mode, as well as the lasers used in Apple's LiDAR Scanner, which is used to create AR experiences.

We mined Apple's acquisitions, investments, and partnerships to discern the company's emerging strategic priorities. Apple is looking for the next big thing. As the world's most valuable company, with a $2T market cap and over $100B in annual profit, Apple has long been known for its cell phones, laptops, tablets, and watches. Today, the company is investing aggressively in high-tech areas like AR/VR, AI, and semiconductors to lay the groundwork for products and features that affect health & wellness, mobility, digital connections, and more. Download our full report to find out the top trends poised to reshape industries in 2022.