In November 2013, Apple had confirmed that the company was planning to setup a sapphire glass production facility in Mesa, Arizona with GT Advanced Technologies.
When Tim Cook was asked about Apple’s manufacturing in the U.S.
at Apple’s annual shareholder meeting earlier today, he said that the facility in Arizona was for a “secret project” that he could’t talk about.
He reassured shareholders that Apple is working on new products, which may be viewed as “extensions of what we’re already doing,” as well as “things that you can’t see.” He reiterated that it was important for Apple to maintain secrecy as the company was “getting ripped off left, right and sideways.”
According to reports, Apple is aggressively pursuing the launch of its new plantin Mesa, Arizona by February. Reports also indicate that Apple is planning to make a critical sub-component for its products at the sapphire plant. Apple already uses sapphire glass to protect the camera lens on the iPhone and iPad, and also for Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
There have been several rumors and speculations that Apple plans to use the plant to make sapphire glass displays for the next generation iPhone. Job postings have also revealed that Apple may be planning to add a solar-based wireless charging feature to the next generation iPhone by embedding ultra-thin solar cells onto sapphire glass display.
Tim Cook apparently got shareholders excited at the meeting when he told them that he was about to take wraps off some new products.
In prepared remarks before a question-and-answer session with shareholders, Chief Executive Tim Cook said the company was focused on growth – so much so that he was prepared to take the wraps off some new products.
A pregnant pause hung in the air. The audience, accustomed to Apple unveiling new products at carefully orchestrated events, gasped and cheered.But it was too good to be true. “I’m just kidding. I gotta have some fun,” Cook said.
I can’t wait to find out what Apple has in store for us in 2014.
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