BOISE - For the first time, notoriously secret tech giant Apple is telling the world who it does business with - and it is good news for one major Boise business.
Apple publicly released a report late this week outlining business standards and practices for the companies that make the components that go into its products. The company disclosed Micron Technology as one of its partners. The report doesn't go into great detail on what Micron supplies or for which Apple products.
The Boise-based semiconductor company builds a number of technologies including dynamic random access memory chips found in many computers, NAND flash chips found in phones and other devices and CMOS image sensors used for cameras. While Apple has a need for all those products, its report also lists several of Micron's competitors, making it difficult to determine what products are being used where or how much volume Apple buys from Micron.
Apple has come under fire for working conditions in the facilities of some of its suppliers overseas. The report shows that during a monitoring period, less than 40 percent of supplier plants abided by Apple's guidelines on maximum workweek length for workers - currently set at 60 hours. Apple did note progress however, saying the number rose to 38 percent from 32 percent a year before.
No specific mention of Micron is made in the report, except the acknowledgment of the supplier relationship.
Apple is the world's largest public company as measured by market capitalization, and the world's most profitable tech company. Micron is one of Idaho's largest public employers and has operations all over the world.
