Apple Invests Another $250 Million in Gorilla Glass Manufacturer Corning

Apple is investing $250 million in Corning, the manufacturer known for its Gorilla Glass for smartphones, among other things. In 2017, Apple already invested $200 million in the company. The money is earmarked for research and development.

Apple uses Corning’s protective glass for its iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch. The investment should lead to the development of new processes to make even better protective glass for the next generation of consumer devices, Apple writes.

The amount of $250 million comes from Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund. With this fund, Apple invests in manufacturers that produce parts in the United States that are used in, for example, iPhones and iPads. At the end of 2017, for example, Apple invested $390 million in Finisar, a company that makes lasers that are used for the Face ID camera. That same year, Apple also invested $200 million in Corning.

Apple says it has invested more than $1 billion in US companies to date. The iPhone manufacturer has pledged to invest a total of $5 billion.