Cook Team Discusses IPhone Air Battery And Invests Glass On Visit To Corning Factory
JAKARTA - Apple CEO Tim Cook took advantage of a visit to the Corning plant in Harroldsburg, Kentucky, to promote the latest iPhone lineup and discuss Apple's investment in increasing glass production for iPhones in the United States.
A few days after the launch of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, Tim Cook continued to promote Apple's latest products through interviews and media performances. In two clips of the interview released on Friday, September 12, Cook was interviewed at the Corning glass factory.
In his first interview with Jim Cramer of CNBC, Cook focused on the iPhone. It shows the iPhone 17 Pro design and introduces the iPhone Air, which he calls "very thin to the point of not being visible on camera."
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When asked about the thinner body iPhone Air potentially reducing battery capacity and life, Cook emphasized that the battery life "stays extraordinary." He explained that Apple reaches a 27-hour battery life thanks to its eSIM-only design and leverages the space previously used for physical SIM card slots to expand battery capacity.
Regarding consumer demand, Cook said Apple "livens closely" the customer's wishes, but is also trying to "look forward and provide something they don't know they want." He called new features like Center Stage and Live Translation for example.
In the second clip, Corning CEO Badminton Weeks also joined in discussions that turned to manufacturing topics. The hosts alluded to the perception that production in the US is considered too expensive and of inadequate quality.
Weeks explained that the factory was the first place to produce the Gorilla Glass for Apple 17 years ago. Now, the factory will be fully dedicated to Apple, with production increasing threefold specifically for the iPhone.
Cook added that starting in 2026, every iPhone and Apple Watch sold worldwide will use glass from this factory. The expansion of this plant is most likely supported by Apple's investment in its supply chain. Corning is one of the major companies that benefited from Apple's investment program in the US, with a total investment of 600 billion US dollars (Rp9,844 trillion) over four years.