This article may contain affiliate links. Learn more on our Partner Program page.
The titanium for the iPhone Duo's casing comes from Pennsylvania, while some of the technology for the new iPhone 18 Pro camera originates in the USA. Apple has introduced two more partners for its US manufacturing program. A component from one of these is found in every iPhone sold in this country.
Apple announced new and expanded partnerships within the American Manufacturing Program on October 20. Apple launched the program in August 2025 as part of its commitment to invest $600 billion in manufacturing and development in the U.S. over four years.
New to the program is titanium manufacturer Perryman, while the collaboration with Qnity Electronics is being expanded. Qnity was only added to the program in March, along with Bosch, TDK, and Cirrus Logic. This time, Apple is explicitly linking the partners to the two new devices, the iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Perryman, based in Pennsylvania, supplies titanium for Apple products, including the iPhone Duo, with at least 80 percent recycled content.
- Apple has pledged up to $100 million to Perryman over three years.
- Qnity Electronics manufactures films for the variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro.
- According to Apple, almost 100 components in the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro come from US companies.
- The cover glass for all iPhones sold worldwide, including the iPhone Duo, is to be sourced from Kentucky by the end of 2026.
Pennsylvania titanium for the iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo's casing is made of exceptionally strong titanium, which Apple cites as the foundation for the stability of the first foldable iPhone. Perryman, a family-owned company based in Houston, Pennsylvania, melts, forges, and rolls the material there for the foldable iPhone. According to Apple, at least 80 percent of the material is recycled.
Apple will invest up to $100 million in the collaboration over the next three years. The announcement does not specify the exact percentage of titanium Perryman will supply for the iPhone Duo. It refers to titanium for Apple products, including the Duo.
Apple's Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan himself makes the connection to the new devices:
American ingenuity is essential to all our products, from the titanium used in the iPhone Duo to the groundbreaking camera innovations in the iPhone 18 Pro.
Screen protectors for the variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro
Qnity Electronics, headquartered in Delaware, is reportedly manufacturing special films in the US that are needed for the variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro. The aperture is located in the new 48-megapixel Fusion main camera and controls how much light reaches the sensor. The tip about the variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro shows how to use it in everyday use.
In March, Apple introduced Qnity, a new material for high-performance computing and AI, in collaboration with HD MicroSystems. Now, a specific iPhone component is being added.
The other partners at a glance
In addition to the two new agreements, Apple lists its existing partners. According to Apple, nearly 100 components in the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro come from US companies in more than a dozen states.
| Partner | Location | Post according to Apple |
|---|---|---|
| Perryman | Houston, Pennsylvania | Titan, among others for the iPhone Duo |
| Qnity Electronics | Delaware (Headquarters) | Screen protectors for the variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro |
| Broadcom | Fort Collins, Colorado | High-frequency components, more than 15 billion chips |
| Corning | Harrodsburg, Kentucky | Cover glass including Ceramic Shield |
| Coherent | Sherman, Texas | Laser for Face ID and Dynamic Island |
| TSMC | Arizona | More than 100 million chips for Apple in 2026 |
| Amkor | Peoria, Arizona | Packaging and testing, in construction |
Broadcom is expanding its Fort Collins plant with a $1.5 billion investment, as announced in July. In Houston, Texas, Apple opened its second manufacturing training center in August. According to a press release, Mac minis are slated to be produced in the same building later this year.
How much of that actually reaches buyers in this country
Most of this announcement concerns supply chains in the US and has no discernible impact on price or availability in Germany. One exception is the glass: By the end of 2026, all cover glass for iPhones and Apple Watches sold worldwide will come from the Corning plant in Kentucky. From then on, the cover glass for iPhone Duos sold in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will also be made in Kentucky.
I interpret the announcement primarily as a signal to Washington. Apple mentions materials and components, but not final assembly of an iPhone in the US. It's still noteworthy, however, that Apple explicitly links the titanium used in the iPhone Duo, which it itself highlights as the basis for the device's stability, to a US supplier.
Does it matter to you where the titanium and glass in your iPhone come from – or is the price in the store the only thing that counts in the end? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
