Back in May Apple launched an Advanced Manufacturing Fund that had $1 billion dollars for the company to invest in U.S. manufacturing. The latest recipient of the funds, receiving a whopping $390 million, is Finisar, a company that makes vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs).
VCSELs are already used in Apple products for Face ID and animoji selfie modes in the iPhone X as well as proximity sensing for AirPods. Apple will be opening an American headquarter for the futuristic company to create the material that Apple needs for its products.
“VCSELs power some of the most sophisticated technology we’ve ever developed, and we’re thrilled to partner with Finisar over the next several years to push the boundaries of VCSEL technology and the applications they enable,” Apple COO Jeff Williams said in a press release. “Technology is only as good as the people behind it, and Finisar is a company with a long history of putting its employees first and supporting the community it’s a part of.”
The move comes after the company just invested $200 million into glass supplier Corning to “support [the company's] R&D, capital equipment needs, and state-of-the-art glass processing.” Both investments from Apple bring over 1,000 jobs for Americans as they try to maintain as many U.S. manufacturing for all their numerous products.
Apple is clearly following up on Donald Trump's 2016 push to have American made products. Back in 2016 Donald Trump said at a press conference: "We have such amazing people in this country: smart, sharp, energetic, they're amazing," he said. "I was saying make America great again, and I actually think we can say now, and I really believe this, we're gonna get things coming... we're gonna get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country, instead of in other countries."