In Summary
Apple is investing $2.5 billion to manufacture all iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass at Corning’s Kentucky facility, creating the world’s largest smartphone glass production line. This marks the first fully US-made glass, supporting Apple’s $600 billion US investment plan and boosting Corning’s workforce by 50%.
Apple has announced a $2.5 billion investment to expand its longstanding partnership with Corning, dedicating Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky facility to produce 100% of the cover glass for all iPhones and Apple Watches globally. This marks the first time that all cover glass for these devices will be fully manufactured in the United States. The expansion includes building the world’s largest and most advanced smartphone glass manufacturing line, and the creation of an Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the same site to focus on research and development of advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing technologies.
This substantial investment is part of Apple’s broader American Manufacturing Program, under which it plans to pour over $600 billion into the US economy across the next four years—an increase from the previously announced $500 billion commitment. The program encourages global suppliers to shift production to the US to meet growing demand and support the domestic supply chain.
Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized that thanks to American manufacturing, customers worldwide will hold iPhones and Apple Watches with precision glass made in Kentucky. The company also sees this as an innovation unlock, supported by the current U.S. administration’s interest in boosting domestic production.
While Apple has long claimed that iPhone glass is made in the US, it was previously only partially true. According to insiders, only now will the manufacturing be entirely American-made for the first time. It’s expected that this US-made glass will not feature on the upcoming iPhone 17 or Apple Watch 11 models launching soon but will likely debut with the iPhone 18 series.
Corning will increase its local workforce by 50% to support this expanded production scale. The move also strengthens the historic partnership between Apple and Corning, which dates back to the original iPhone in 2007, and builds on Apple’s US Advanced Manufacturing Fund, through which it has invested nearly $500 million in Corning’s Kentucky operations over recent years.
Beyond glass, Corning’s materials feed into other Apple suppliers like GlobalWafers, which will start producing advanced chip wafers in the US under Apple’s broader manufacturing initiatives.
This investment positions Apple to reduce supply chain risk, mitigate tariff effects, and showcase strong support for American manufacturing, aligned with the current administration’s policies.