9 AMAZING COMPANIES APPLE BOUGHT IN FISCAL YEAR 2015

Image credit: Apple.

Camel AudioEarlier this year, Apple acquired music plug-in and audio effects maker, Camel Audio. The company made the popular Alchemy software, which included synthesizers, effects, plug-ins, and other music editing features. Evidence of the purchase was noticeable in GarageBand’s update over the summer, which sported new synths and some new controls that looked very similar to Camel Audio’s Alchemy mobile app. Image credit: Apple.

SemetricSemetric is an analytics company that scans the Internet and determines which entertainment content is trending. The company takes into account peer-to-peer networks, social media interactions, and online content to determine which music, film, television, gaming, and eBooks have the most engagement. With Apple Music, iBooks, and Apple’s recent focus on television programming, it’s no surprise why Apple would want an entertainment analytics company all for itself. Image credit: Semetric.

The Virginia-based noSQL database startup created a way for companies to process massive amounts of data, extremely fast. The 40-person company was snatched up by Apple back in March, likely for speeding up Apple’s iMessage processing, iTunes logins, the iAd platform, and other services. Aside from quicker database processing speeds, FoundationDB’s tech also allows Apple to go through more data with less hardware, making it less expensive to run.

FoundationDB

Image credit: Apple.

LinX, based in Israel, made camera modules for tablets and smartphones. The company used sensors to capture multiple images at once, for effects like focus blur and 3D pictures. The acquisition could bring DSLR-quality images to Apple’s next iPhone. Image credit: Apple.

LinX

Coherent NavigationSan Francisco-based Coherent Navigation developed high-end satellite GPS technology for Boeing and worked on projects with the Defense Department. Apple could use the talent from Coherent to improve the accuracy of Apple Maps, or even use some of the technology in its rumored Apple Car.

Image credit: Apple.

Augmented reality company Metaio was picked up by Apple this year and could boost the iMaker’s position in the fast-growing space. Metaio made augmented reality mobile applications that projected virtual imagery over real-time and real-word images. Apple has already patented a virtual reality headset for use with its iPhones, and this may be another piece of the puzzle for Apple’s virtual and augmented reality ambitions.

Metaio

Image credit: USPTO.

MapsenseBack in September, Apple purchased this San Francisco-based mapping data and visualization company for about $25 million. The purchase could help improve Apple’s mapping service, boost mobile advertising options, or simply help Apple visualize its own map data better. Image credit: Apple.

Recently, Apple purchased the natural language speech recognition company VocalIQ. The company’s platform actively learns, as opposed to just listens, and understands a user’s request a little bit better each time it’s used. Improving Siri is the most obvious application of the acquisition, but Apple could also use the tech in smart homes, the Apple Watch, or future voice-based products.

VocalIQ

PerceptioTowards the end of fiscal 2015, Apple acquired the deep learning artificial intelligence company Perceptio, which allows mobile apps to run advanced artificial intelligence without collecting lots of user data. The company was previously working on image classification features for its system, which Apple could use on future iPhones and iPads.

Image credit: Apple.

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