The Corning investment is part of Apple’s $100 billion boost to its U.S. manufacturing investment announced Wednesday following Cook’s visit to the White House.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced a new $2.5 billion commitment to produce 100% of the iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in the U.S. However, a prominent tech columnist has raised questions about the credibility of its previous claim to have 100% made-in-U.S. products.
Corning has been Apple’s glass manufacturing partner since the launch of the first iPhone in 2007. The Corning investment is part of Apple’s $100 billion boost to its U.S. manufacturing investment announced Wednesday following Cook’s visit to the White House.
On X, Bloomberg columnist and Apple specialist Mark Gurman said, “Critically: Tim Cook has been touting for years that the iPhone’s cover glass is made in the U.S. Today we learn — publicly — that this wasn’t entirely true.”
“Only now, 100% of iPhone glass will be made in the US. Before, it was a mix.” Gurman, however, said the news about the Apple Watch cover glass is new.
Responding to the Bloomberg columnist’s post, IT analyst and former Apple executive Michael Gartenberg clarified that Corning (GLW), Apple’s glass supplier, had moved production out of the U.S. to China some time ago for logistical purposes of taking the supply chain closer to manufacturing. The analyst said Apple’s latest move demonstrated how much CEO Tim Cook is concerned about the company.
Apple said the proposed $2.5 billion investment would be used to add the most advanced smartphone glass production line to Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky, plant. This facility will now be an exclusive Apple manufacturing plant, and Apple’s investment will help boost Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce in Kentucky by 50%.
Corning would supply silicon to another Apple supplier, GlobalWafers, for making advanced bare wafers in the U.S. for the first time.
As a joint initiative, Apple and Corning will open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the Harrodsburg plant, focusing on the development and engineering of advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms for the tech giant’s future products.
The news sent Corning’s stock skyrocketing by nearly 7% in overnight trading. Corning’s stock is up over 36% this year. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward Corning stock stayed ‘bullish’ (70/100), with the message volume increasing to ‘high’ levels.
Meanwhile, Cook presented President Donald Trump with a unique glass piece set in a 24-karat gold base, with the glass sourced from Corning’s Harrodsburg facility. The glass is designed as a large disc with Apple’s logo carved into it, featuring Trump’s name at the top, and Cook’s signature, the phrase “Made In USA,” and the year 2025 engraved at the bottom.
The base is sourced from Utah, and a former U.S. Marine Corps corporal reportedly designed the glass.
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