The glass on your Apple devices could be on the verge of becoming that much stronger.
Apple announced that the company has put $200 million of its $1 billion U.S. manufacturing fund into Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky glass-making plant.
Corning has manufactured the glass that Apple has used in iPhones and iPads since day one.
Corning’s Gorilla Glass, introduced in 2007, played a huge role in the development of Apple’s devices. Corning will be able to leverage the $200 million investment, which will go toward equipment, glass processing, and research and development, to make new versions of its extra-strength glass. Apple at one point was testing sapphire glass from a different manufacturer, but that plan flamed out after the sapphire was found to be too weak for use in iPhones. The company went back to Corning, and Gorilla Glass has remained a staple.
The Apple-Corning business relationship has reportedly created close to 1,000 jobs in the U.S. It’s unclear if the company will add to its headcount with Apple’s investment, albeit this is regarded as entirely possible.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via Macworld