Apple to build silicon design centre in Munich as part of $1.2bn investment
Munich is already Apple’s largest engineering hub in Europe
Apple is to set up a European silicon design centre in Munich, Germany, and invest more than €1bn ($1.2bn, £856m) over the next three years in expanding its team there as well as in research and development.
The tech giant announced it will open a new 30,000-square-metre facility in central Munich’s Karlstrasse later next year.
Munich is already Apple’s largest engineering hub in Europe, with close to 1,500 engineers from 40 countries working in sectors including power management design, application processors, and wireless technologies.
Together, they have improved performance and efficiency on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac with the M1 chip, Apple said.
The new facility will be home to Apple’s growing cellular unit, and Europe’s largest R&D site for mobile wireless semiconductors and software.
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Apple said the team at the new facility will also focus on 5G and other wireless technologies, adding that they’ll also develop modems for Apple products.
The expansion follows a $600m deal struck by Apple with Anglo-German chip designer Dialog Semiconductor in 2018 to bring in-house the teams designing the main power chips used in its iPhone and other devices.
Apple claims it has spent over €15bn with over 700 companies in Germany over the last five years, including chip maker Infineon and battery firm Varta.
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