I'm not sure what Apple does.
My issue with big tech is not lack of innovation or research, but rather that it's all private. We're driving people out orgs that share their research with the world and into ones that lock it away.
Take Airpods or FaceID, Apple was not the first to innovate in the headphone space or in the face unlock space. But when they did eventually come out with their own version, that version is miles ahead of the competition.
Source: Wikipedia page on Bell Labs.
Yes, google does research but not the basic fundamental research that isn’t immediately a product to be sold.
In all seriousness, it's very sad how impotent US research has become. Only a few companies and individuals truly pushing the envelope these days (e.g. Musk).