Apple is expanding its presence in Ireland with a new product testing center, the Irish Examiner reports, alongside opening a new office in North Carolina.
Apple will open a new product testing center in Cork, Ireland, in what will be the first facility of its kind to test Apple devices in Europe. At the site, Apple engineers and technicians will use a range of equipment, including electron microscopes and CT scanners, to test products with the aim of improving durability and performance.
The testing center is located nearby to Apple's campus at Hollyhill, and was previously used to store hard disks, manuals, and documentation. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Apple's vice president of European Operations Cathy Kearney said the new test facility was "a natural evolution from all the investments in recent years" in Cork:
The focus of this facility is to ensure the best product, durability and performance, and the lab team here will be testing and analysing Apple's entire range of products. This facility is the first of its kind in Europe and we are delighted to have it here in Cork.
The new testing facility in Cork follows the establishment of an Apple team in Ireland dedicated to researching artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Meanwhile, WRAL reports that Apple is planning to spend $19.3 million to renovate the seven-floor MetLife Building 3 in Cary, North Carolina. The location is a temporary space ahead of the opening of a new, $1 billion Apple campus in the state. Apple is in the process of recruiting a range of technical staff, developers, and engineers for the new office, according to Cary Chamber of Commerce President Mark Lawson.
