Apple bolsters 'Made in USA' initiative with new sapphire glass factory, 2,000 new jobs

Apple is making good on its promise to bring more jobs to the USA. A new sapphire glass factory is set to open in Arizona and will reportedly bring 2,000 new jobs. Sapphire glass is used in a number of Apple products, most notably to protect the lenses of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. This follows Apple's commitment to assembling the new Mac Pro in Texas.

“The multi-year agreement, which was reported by MacRumors, includes a $580 million prepayment that will get paid back to Apple over five years starting in 2015, and requires that GT maintains a minimum level of manufacturing capacity.” The new jobs are mostly in engineering, manufacturing and construction in nature.

Video: Apple's iPad Air launch in downtown Toronto

There was a steady line of 80 to 90 people at the Eaton Centre Apple Retail Store early this morning when we arrived shortly befor the doors opened at 8:00 am. There was the usual excitement from Apple's staff and many of the buyers who were waiting to get their hands on the new iPad Air.  

Apple Smart Cases and Covers for older iPads reduced to dark grey

Apple's iPad 2 ushered in the magnetic Smart Covers  which were either polyurethane or leather and did a decent job of customizing the device as well as protecting the screen and doubling as a stand. Suceeding models like the iPad 3 with Retina display brought in Smart Cases which wrapped entirely around the iPad. It seems the colourful options are now being discontinued by Apple for the older iPad 2, iPad 3 with Retina display and iPad 4 with Retina display in favour of single dark grey Smart Cases and Smart Covers. This means if you want some of the brighter hues (including the lovely PRODUCT(RED) covers then it might be worth racing to retailers to catch leftover inventory. Buyers of the iPad Air won't have this issue as Apple is introducing a bunch of colours for Smart Covers and Smart Cases. 

Video shows how Apple's Mac Pro is built in America

The new Apple Mac Pro professes to be very best desktop for cutting edfe technologies and insane engineering. Expected to turn a lot of heads when it goes on sale at the end of the year, it also has the disctinction of being assembled in the US. The above video shows some of the processes that go into that production and it is quite amazing. A one-off Product (RED) version that's decked out in a crimson colour will be auctioned for Bono's charity.