Apple and miner MP Materials announced a $500 million deal Tuesday for rare earth magnets and the development of a recycling facility that will reinforce the iPhone maker’s U.S. supply chain. MP Materials stock skyrocketed 23%. Shares of Apple were marginally higher.
MP Materials is the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States. With this multiyear deal, Apple is committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The two companies will also work together to establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, and develop novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies to enhance magnet performance. The commitment is part of Apple’s pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, and builds on the company’s long history of investment in American innovation, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation recycling technologies.
“American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”
Apple and MP Materials will build out the state-of-the-art Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. The new equipment and technical capacity will allow MP Materials to significantly boost its overall production. Once built, the American-made magnets will be shipped across the country and all over the world, helping to meet increasing global demand for the material. The increased production will support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D. The two companies will provide extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.
When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth feedstock — including material from used electronics and post-industrial scrap — and reprocess it for use in Apple products. For nearly five years, Apple and MP Materials have been piloting advanced recycling technology that enables recycled rare earth magnets to be processed into material that meets Apple’s exacting standards for performance and design. The companies will continue to innovate together to improve magnet production, as well as end-of-life recovery.
Apple pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics, first introducing them in the Taptic Engine of iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.
MacDailyNews Note: The Taptic Engine is Apple’s proprietary haptic feedback technology, a linear actuator that delivers precise vibrations to simulate tactile sensations. It uses a combination of hardware and software to produce nuanced feedback, such as taps, clicks, or varying vibration patterns, enhancing user interactions by mimicking physical button presses or providing contextual alerts. Unlike traditional vibration motors, the Taptic Engine is more compact, energy-efficient, and capable of delivering a wide range of haptic effects with high precision.
How It Works
Linear Resonant Actuator (LRA): The Taptic Engine moves a mass in a controlled, linear motion to create vibrations. This allows for sharper, more defined feedback compared to rotary vibration motors.
Customizable Feedback: It integrates with iOS, watchOS, or macOS to deliver specific haptic patterns for actions like pressing a virtual button, receiving notifications, or scrolling through menus.
Force Touch/3D Touch: In some devices, it enables pressure-sensitive interactions, detecting varying levels of force for additional input options.
Products Using the Taptic Engine
The Taptic Engine is integrated into several Apple products to enhance user experience:
• iPhone:
– Introduced in the iPhone 6s (2015) with 3D Touch.
– Used in all subsequent iPhone models (e.g., iPhone 7, 8, X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 series) for haptic feedback in features like the Home button (solid-state since iPhone 7), system controls, and keyboard typing.
– Supports Haptic Touch (replaced 3D Touch in iPhone XR and later) for long-press interactions.
• Apple Watch:
– Introduced with the original Apple Watch (2015).
– Provides tactile feedback for notifications, Digital Crown interactions, and taptic alerts (e.g., turn-by-turn navigation).
– Used in all Apple Watch models, including Series 1–10, SE, and Ultra.
• MacBook and MacBook Pro:
– Introduced in the 2015 MacBook with the Force Touch trackpad.
– Found in MacBook (2015–2019), MacBook Pro (2016–present), and MacBook Air (2018–present).
– Simulates clicks on the glass trackpad, offering consistent feedback regardless of where pressure is applied and enabling force-sensitive gestures.
• Magic Trackpad 2:
– Used for Force Touch capabilities, providing haptic feedback for clicks and gestures, similar to MacBook trackpads.
• iPad (Limited Use):
– Not all iPads have a Taptic Engine. It’s primarily used in models supporting Apple Pencil (2nd generation) for haptic feedback during interactions like double-tap to switch tools.
– Found in iPad Pro (2018–present), iPad Air (2020–present), and iPad mini (2021–present).
• AirPods (Indirectly):
– While not a traditional Taptic Engine, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max use similar haptic motors for stem presses or control interactions, offering subtle tactile feedback.
Notable Features
• Precision Haptics: Enables distinct sensations, like the “click” of a virtual button or rhythmic alerts for notifications.
• Contextual Feedback: Enhances UI interactions, such as scrolling through a picker wheel or previewing content with Haptic Touch.
• Accessibility: Provides tactile cues for visually impaired users, improving device usability.
• Gaming and AR: Enhances immersive experiences in games or augmented reality apps by simulating physical sensations.
Evolution
• iPhone 6s to X: Focused on 3D Touch for pressure-sensitive interactions.
• Post-iPhone XR: Shifted to Haptic Touch, simplifying hardware while maintaining robust haptic feedback.
• Apple Watch: Refined for subtle, wrist-based feedback.
• MacBooks: Expanded to trackpads for a consistent, click-like experience without moving parts.
The Taptic Engine is a cornerstone of Apple’s user interface design, making interactions feel more intuitive and responsive across its ecosystem.
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