Apple reportedly to invest $1 billion in SoftBank Vision Fund

In a bid to play a more prominent role to promote emerging tech, Apple could invest up to $1 billion into Japan-based SoftBank's upcoming $100 billion "Vision Fund" pitched to President-elect Donald Trump, according to Wall Street Journal.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said that Cupertino giant has had talks with SoftBank group but nothing has been finalised as yet.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund is scheduled to be launched next year with a seed investment of $25 billion by SoftBank. The Fund, also one of the biggest technology investment funds will target artificial intelligence, robotics, and Internet of things. The telecom giant has also been in talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for an investment up to $45 billion.

Apple's investment could give it insight into emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and Internet of Things and it would also be a new shift for the company, which has largely only invested small stakes in young tech companies until now.

SoftBank has ties with Apple since 2008 after the duo collaborated for the release of the iPhone in Japan. The deal made SoftBank the exclusive seller of iPhones in Japan and third-largest cellular carrier by 2011.

Meanwhile, Trump met with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son in New York City earlier this month. There, the duo announced a plan for $50 billion investment in US tech startups, which they said would create 50,000 new jobs.