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Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Apple's $600 billion US manufacturing commitment: 10 key things that change from iPhones to iPads and Watch
Tech giant Apple Inc. on August 6 announced a new $100 billion commitment to the United States of America, expanding its total investment in the country from $500 billion to $600 billion over the next four years — this is its highest ever funding push in the US. It also announced its 'American Manufacturing Program' or AMP, that outlined which Apple device components will now be manufactured in the US; and addition of 20,000 new jobs across its domestic facilities and supplier partnerships in the states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. AMP is 'dedicated to bringing even more of Apple's supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the US', the company said, noting that it will 'incentivise global companies to manufacture even more critical components in the US'. Making his announcement at the White House, after US President Donald Trump announced Apple's expanded US committment, and claimed credit for it, CEO Tim Cook noted that the AMP initiative includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America, that 'produce components that are used in Apple products sold all over the world.' 'We're going to keep building technologies at the heart of our products right here in America,' he added. Notably, speaking to investors earlier, Tim Cook had said that assembly of the company's flagship iPhones will remain 'elsewhere', without naming China and India, adding, but 'there's a lot of content (components) in there from the US, and we're very proud of it.' As per an official release from the company, two-thirds of Apple's parts and components made in the US are shipped to customers outside the country. At present, the tech giant said it 'partners with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, supporting more than 450,000 supplier and partner jobs.' Over the next four years, the goal is to directly hire 20,000 people in the US — majority focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Apple's $600 billion investment in the US includes manufacturing at 79 local factories, expanded manufacturing with Corning, Teas Instruments, Broadcom and more; and 4,50,000 jobs with supplies and partners in across 50 states, the company said on August 6, 2025. Apple's first AMP partners include Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America (GWA), Applied Materials, Texas Instruments (TI), Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and Broadcom. Fund a major expansion of Apple's long-standing partnership with Corning, bringing the world's largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line to a factory in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The new $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in the Kentucky manufacturing facility, means that 100 per cent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the US for the first time. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center in Kentucky. in the Kentucky manufacturing facility, means that 100 per cent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the US for the first time. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center in Kentucky. Apple has also entered into a new multiyear agreement with Coherent, a long-standing partner that produces the VCSEL lasers that enable multiple features — including Face ID — on iPhone and iPad devices shipped around the world. This work takes place at Coherent's Sherman, Texas, facility. shipped around the world. This work takes place at Coherent's Sherman, Texas, facility. In July, Apple also committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed by MP Materials — the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States — significantly expanding their flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. These magnets will become part of Apple devices shipped around the world. The two companies will also establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California. shipped around the world. The two companies will also establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California. Creation of an end-to-end silicon supply chain in the US, with partners in every key aspect of silicon production. This supply chain is on track to produce more than 19 billion chips for Apple products in 2025, it added. It includes TSMC in Arizona, which 'is producing tens of millions of chips for Apple' using one of the most advanced process technologies in America. Apple is this factory's first and largest customer. Apple is partnering with GlobalWafers America in Sherman, Texas, to produce advanced wafers for use in US-based semiconductor fabs for the first time. The other partner for American chip fabs include TSMC in Phoenix, Arizona. These wafers will be used to produce chips for iPhone and iPad devices sold in the US and exported globally. sold in the US and exported globally. Apple is also partnering directly with Applied Materials to boost the production of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the US at the Applied site in Austin, Texas. manufacturing equipment in the US at the Applied site in Austin, Texas. Increase future product collaboration and critical US capacity with Texas Instruments for additional tool installations at its facility in Lehi, Utah, and a new facility in Sherman, Texas. These facilities will manufacture critical foundational semiconductors used for Apple products, including iPhone devices shipped in the US and around the world. devices shipped in the US and around the world. Apple is also working with Samsung GlobalFoundries at its fab in Austin, Texas, to launch an innovative new technology for making chips, that will optimise power and performance of Apple products, including iPhone . Apple is also working with Broadcom and GlobalFoundries to develop and manufacture additional cellular semiconductor components in the US. These components are crucial for 5G communications in Apple products . . Apple is also working with Broadcom and GlobalFoundries to develop and manufacture additional cellular semiconductor components in the US. These components are crucial for 5G communications in . Construction of Apple's Maiden, North Carolina data center that supports Apple's services such as iCloud, the App Store, Apple Music, iMessage, Apple TV+, Apple Sports, Apple Intelligence, and more.
India Today
29 minutes ago
- India Today
Will iPhones get pricier? Trump doubles India goods tariff to 50 per cent but spares Apple
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports in response to the country's ongoing purchases of Russian oil, effectively doubling the total tariff to a hefty 50 per cent. The new levy, which will take effect in 21 days, is set to pile on top of an existing country-specific 25 per cent duty. In a fiery interview with CNBC, Trump accused India of bankrolling Russia's war machine. 'They're fueling the war machine,' he said, reiterating his long-standing threat to punish countries that continue energy trade with move forms part of a sweeping wave of tariff hikes under the Trump administration's latest trade policy playbook. As of Thursday, India's initial 25 per cent import tariff kicks in, one of many fresh duties affecting goods from nearly 200 countries, with rates ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. Even Switzerland isn't being spared, with tariffs on its exports to the US set to rise by up to 39 per there's a notable, and perhaps surprising, exception to the tariff storm: Apple. According to a White House official, the tech giant's core product line, including iPhones and other devices powered by semiconductors, will be exempt from both the immediate 25 per cent duty and the upcoming oil-related surcharge. Instead, Apple's devices are expected to be covered under a separate tariff framework, details of which are yet to be announced. That means, for now, your iPhone won't come with a Trump Cook, CEO of Apple, appeared at the White House on Wednesday as news of the tariffs broke. Cook is scheduled to meet with President Trump this afternoon and is expected to announce an eye-watering $100 billion boost to Apple's US manufacturing investments, a top-up to its previously pledged $500 Apple gets a breather, Trump made it clear that the next wave of tariffs could bite even harder elsewhere. He floated the idea of 100 per cent duties on all chips and semiconductors imported into the US, a move that could send shockwaves across the global electronics that's not all. Pharmaceutical imports are also on Trump's radar, with plans for new tariffs that could eventually balloon to a staggering 250 per cent. 'We're going after sectors that matter,' he said, signalling a broader pivot towards targeting strategic will iPhones get more expensive? For now, the answer is no. While almost everything else made in India faces a sharp hike in import duties, Apple seems to have dodged the tariff bullet, at least with Trump's tariff policy still evolving, and with more sector-specific duties looming on the horizon, it remains to be seen how long the exemption lasts. One thing's for sure: when it comes to trade wars, not even your smartphone is entirely safe.- EndsTune In
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India's E20 petrol rollout sparks driver revolt
As India puts more of the emissions-cutting biofuel ethanol in its petrol, consumers complain it damages their engines. The government's fast-expanding ethanol programme aims to cut costly oil imports by blending petrol with ethanol, a biofuel derived from agricultural produce or organic waste that burns more cleanly than traditional gasoline. India last month hit its target of reaching a 20% ethanol mix in petrol, known as E20 petrol, five years ahead of schedule. But car reviewer Amit Khare, who reaches 15 million people every month across social media platforms, including YouTube, Meta and Instagram, criticised the fuel. "Ethanol is a dry and corrosive fuel," Khare told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It can damage several parts involved in supplying fuel to the engines," he said. "Neither the government nor the petrol pumps in the country are informing users about all these issues ... Consumers are being kept in dark." Thousands of worried drivers shared their fears in comments on a video he posted on the issue late last month. Consumers are demanding the right to choose what they put in their cars, filling social media with complaints of lower fuel efficiency, damage to older engines and the ensuing costly repairs. Punjab-based car critic Sunderdeep Singh said the government should make it mandatory for petrol stations to sell different blends and clearly colour-code them. "Most consumers do not know how much ethanol is mixed in the petrol they are buying," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The government said on Monday concerns over E20 fuel were unfounded. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the criticism lacked "technical foundation" and said its own reports found no major engine damage or performance loss. The government admitted mileage might dip slightly, by between 1% and 2% in newer cars and by up to 6% in older ones, but said this could be managed with routine servicing. Vehicle owners responded swiftly, sharing mileage numbers online and accusing the government of hiding the truth. Khare said he tested an E20-compliant car for two months and saw a mileage drop of between 5% and 6%. There is no publicly available data on how many of the millions of cars and motorbikes sold before 2023 are compliant with E20 fuel, but Khare estimates most of them are not. Biofuels are a key part of the Indian government's plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of importing oil. The policy saved India about 1.06 trillion rupees ($12.09 billion) in crude oil import costs between 2014 and 2024, according to government data, and helped to avoid 54.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the same decade. This is roughly the equivalent of the emissions from 12 million gasoline-powered cars a year, according to a calculator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But the gains come with trade-offs. India has ramped up ethanol production by diverting crops like sugarcane, maize and rice to make fuel, reducing the availability of grains for people and cattle, and shifting land away from food production. Two of India's largest motorcycle and scooter makers Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor, have also issued advisories about ethanol and said their vehicles made before 2023 require modifications to the fuel system to run efficiently on E20. Shell India warned customers that they bear the risk of engine damage or warranty loss from E20 fuel. "It is unfair of the government to push us to use higher ethanol blends when our cars are not ready," said Bangalore-based car-owner Antony Mathew. "The least the government can do, while charging over 30% tax on a new petrol car, is to ensure compatible fuel is available in the market."
