Apple is looking to expand into Germany. Planned for operational use by late 2022, the iPhone company will be investing over €1 billion over the next three years to build a new design centre in Munich.
As a result of this investment, Apple's Munich design centre is reportedly planned to be 30,000 square-metres in size. Additionally, the facility will be helmed by the already sizable German engineering team the company currently employs.
Furthermore, the new centre aims to have LEED Gold certification on its first day of operation. The design facility will run entirely on 100% renewable energy to fall in line with the company's Clean Energy Program.
Why is Apple creating a Munich design centre?
The European Commission's Digital Compass initiative is poised to change a lot of the tech market. For the purpose of bolstering European semiconductor industry into the "digital decade", the EU is aiming to have Europe producing 20% of the world's cutting-edge components by 2030.
It's for this purpose that Apple is investing heavily in the new Munich design centre. With Apple's long-running relationship with their German engineering teams, it makes sense for the company to expand into that area of the EU.
What will the new design centre create?
Apple's Munich design centre will focus on the production of wireless technologies that will be incorporated into new Apple hardware. While primarily focusing on 5G development, the engineering teams will also be developing other internal components.
"I couldn't be more excited for everything our Munich engineering teams will discover — from exploring the new frontiers of 5G technology, to a new generation of technologies that bring power, speed, and connectivity to the world," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Munich has been a home to Apple for four decades, and we're grateful to this community and to Germany for being a part of our journey."