Apple Shifts Supply Chain, Acquires AI Startup
Apple is reportedly shifting Mac Mini production to Houston, Texas, and expanding its AI server capacity. The company has also acquired invrs.io, a startup specializing in photonics for artificial intelligence, as part of a broader push into AI hardware and infrastructure.
- The acquisition of invrs.io brings in its founder, Martin Schubert, who previously led AI-guided design projects at both Google and Meta and has over fifteen years of experience in semiconductor and optical technologies. - Invrs.io specializes in using AI to design photonic components, which are critical for a range of Apple products including camera systems, LiDAR scanners, and the Apple Vision Pro. - The deal, which was revealed in a European Commission filing, involved Apple acquiring the assets of invrs.io and hiring its only employee, Martin Schubert, in October 2025. - The new Mac Mini production will be housed in a 20,000-square-foot facility in Houston, marking the first time the product will be manufactured in the United States. - This expansion will double Apple's manufacturing footprint in Houston to a total of 500,000 square feet and is expected to create thousands of new jobs. - The Houston site is already producing advanced AI servers, and this expansion will increase that capacity; these servers are used in Apple's data centers across the country. - Apple is also establishing a new 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston to provide training in advanced manufacturing techniques to students and supplier employees. - This move is part of a broader strategy to reduce supply chain dependency on Asia and is supported by Apple's $600 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing.
