Following Apple's acquisition of Intel's 5G modem division in the summer of 2019, the Cupertino-based company is expanding its laboratories in the greater Munich area into a European chip development center. The goal is to design chips in-house rather than outsourcing them to suppliers. To this end, over one billion euros will be invested in Germany, and in particular in Munich, over the next three years.
Apple CEO Tim Cook: Are Munich and Germany grateful
“I couldn’t be more excited about what our engineering teams in Munich will discover – from exploring new possibilities in 5G technology to a new generation of technologies that will enable even greater performance, speed, and connectivity,”
says Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.
“Munich has been a home for Apple for four decades, and we are grateful to the city and Germany for what we have achieved together and look forward to the road ahead.”
Apple has been based in Munich since 1981, when the company started with 10 employees. Today, the US company operates seven Munich offices, and two of the 15 German Apple Stores are located in Munich.
Over the past five years, Apple says it has spent over €15 billion working with more than 700 companies in Germany. These include chipmaker Infineon, battery manufacturer Varta, and the owner-managed chemical company DELO, which supplies adhesives for the iPhone 12 Pro, among others.
“Munich offers excellent conditions for such a high-tech center”
It was announced a good year ago that Apple significantly expands its Munich location and will move into a 30,000 square meter space in the “Karl” office building, which is currently being built on the former Mahag site on Karlstrasse.
Bavaria's Digital Minister Judith Gerlach welcomes the announcement of the Californian company and says:
"This is great news for Bavaria as a digital hub. Munich offers excellent conditions for such a high-tech center: a well-developed infrastructure, a highly qualified workforce, and, above all, a technology-friendly environment."
