What you need to know
- Apple is giving II-VI $410 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund.
- II-VI makes VCSELs for tech like Face ID and Portrait mode on iPhone.
- The move will create 700 jobs in America.
Apple has today announced it is giving $410 million to II-VI, maker of optic technology that powers features of the iPhone 12 like Face ID and Portrait mode.
The company stated:
Apple today announced a new $410 million award from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund for II-VI, a leading manufacturer of optical technology. Today's award builds on an initial $390 million awarded from Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund in 2017. The expansion of the company's long-standing relationship with II-VI will create additional capacity and accelerate delivery of future components for iPhone, with 700 jobs in Sherman, Texas; Warren, New Jersey; Easton, Pennsylvania; and Champaign, Illinois. II-VI manufactures vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that help power Face ID, Memoji, Animoji, and Portrait mode selfies. Apple also works with II-VI to manufacture lasers used in the LiDAR Scanner — technology that helps deliver faster, more realistic augmented reality experiences and improves autofocus in low-light scenes in photos and videos.
Apple says the move is part of its commitment to invest $430 billion in the U.S., creating 20,000 new jobs over the next five years. Apple's AMF was established in 2017 and is a $5 billion fund that supports manufacturers like Corning, which helped Apple to create its Ceramic Shield for tougher glass in the iPhone.
