According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has pledged to invest $1 billion in Softbank's Vision Fund. "We believe their new fund will speed the development of technologies which may be strategically important to Apple," spokeswoman Krisitn Huguet said. Softbank is expected to use the find to invest in smart objects, and IoT connected projects -- an area Apple has mostly stayed away from.

It's a good way for Apple to grab some stake in an area of technology it's otherwise left alone, but don't expect a lot more contributions from the company. When Tim Cook first commented on Softbank's fund back in July, he noted an investment might be incoming, but that it won't be "something that you'll see a whole string of from us."