Apple's A5 chips are now being made in Texas, not Asia as was its predecessor the A4, according to a report from Reuters, citing "people familiar with the operation".
The chips that power the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S are being produced by Apple's smartphone competitor Samsung in its huge fab in Austin, capital of the Oil State. Samsung previously made iOS-powering silicon in its South Korea facility.
The devices that the A5 powers, however, are still being assembled by Foxconn in China.
The 1.6 million square foot factory cost $3.6bn, but the total investment is closer to $9bn, according to Austin Chamber of Commerce, making it the largest-ever foreign investment in Texas. According to Reuters, the fab ramped up to full production at the beginning of December.
Read more...
