14 DAY TRIAL // Mesa, Arizona is the latest US-based location where Apple plans to open up a manufacturing plant, this time to create sapphire glass for various iPhone components, according to a statement provided by the Cupertino giant itself.
Initially revealed in a press statement issued by Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona Commerce Authority, Apple’s new manufacturing facility will create at least 700 jobs in the first year, as well as 1,300 construction and other associated jobs thereafter.
Apple confirmed the initiative in a statement provided to Pocket-Lint, saying, “We are proud to expand our domestic manufacturing initiative with a new facility in Arizona, creating more than 2,000 jobs in engineering, manufacturing and construction.”
“This new plant will make components for Apple products and it will run on 100% renewable energy from day one, as a result of the work we are doing with SRP to create green energy sources to power the facility,” Apple added.
Sapphire is one of the toughest materials known to man, and it’s second only to diamond in terms of hardness. While it is not cheap to produce, it’s also one of the best materials for camera lenses and, more recently, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor found on the iPhone 5s.
Apple most likely wants to expand the presence of Touch ID across future iDevices, but there are also rumors about sapphire glass displays in upcoming iPhone models.
An iPhone 6 with a sapphire front glass panel would prove to be superior to most competing smartphones, thanks to its resistance to scratches. The screen would also be harder to shatter, should the user drop his / her device onto a hard surface, like concrete.
Apple plans to power its new facility with 100% renewable energy, continuing its efforts to stay green as it produces some of the world’s hottest-selling electronic equipment.