Apple invests in Gorilla Glass maker Corning for the third time in four years

Apple has invested money in Gorilla Glass maker Corning for the third time. This time it is about $ 45 million, bringing the total investment over the past four years to about $ 450 million.

The investment should enable the expansion of Corning’s manufacturing capacity in the US, reports Apple. Part of the money will also go to R&D, with which the company wants to develop new types of glass that should ensure that products break down less quickly and last longer.

It is Apple’s third investment in Corning in the past four years. It was $ 250 million in 2019 and $ 200 million in 2017. It is unknown whether there is a link with the investments, but Apple uses Corning’s product Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 12 series. According to the manufacturer, this product is more drop resistant than types of glass that Corning makes available to other manufacturers, due to the use of ceramic elements.

The money 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 iPhones and iPads, for example. For example, at the end of 2017, Apple invested $ 390 million in Finisar, a company that makes lasers used for the Face ID camera.