Apple to give Finisar $390 million to increase TrueDepth camera tech production

Enlarge / The Messages app has been augmented with a number of features that use the front-facing, 3D camera-including animojis.

Today, Apple announced a big investment in the technology manufacturing company Finisar. The iPhone maker will give Finisar $390 million, a portion of its $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to help "support innovation and job creation by American manufacturers." According to Apple's statement, the investment will allow Finisar to build a new 700,000 square foot plant in Texas, hire 500 workers, and make more vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). These lasers are a component in Apple's TrueDepth cameras, now being used in the iPhone X for features including FaceID and Animoji.

"VCSELs power some of the most sophisticated technology we've ever developed and we're thrilled to partner with Finisar over the next several years to push the boundaries of VCSEL technology and the applications they enable," Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund is meant to create new manufacturing jobs and opportunities in the US. All of the VCSELs that Apple will purchase from Finisar will be made in the Texas plant. In addition to the TrueDepth camera lasers, Finisar also produces proximity sensors for Apple's AirPods.

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