Tag Archives: acquisitions
Apple Purchases AI Startup Xnor.ai for $200 Million
Apple just paid $200 million for AI startup Xnor.ai, which focuses on deployment of AI technology in various sectors. The company has technical know-how in matters of energy efficiency and reduction of carbon footprint in the context of artificial intelligence. Apple hopes to improve deployment of its AI on devices and enhance edge computing in Core ML 3 toolkit. This toolkit is meant for app developers.
What is Xnor.ai all about?
Xnor has extensive experience in the fields of cameras, drones, and smartphones. The question of drones is interesting, as this may point towards Apple’s ambitions in the field of deliveries and data collection.
Xnor came to eminence when it used a solar panel on top of an FPGA chip. The resulting technology could power a computer vision model without the need for batteries. Much later, in May 2019, the company became famous for its AI2Go, an edge computing platform. This Seattle based company was founded in 2017, and managed to raise close to $15 million.
Considering the amount that Apple paid to purchase Xnor.ai, several things are clear:
- Apple takes AI very seriously, and has some profound plans for the future in the realm of artificial intelligence
- Apple may try and dabble in drone technology, giving a stiff competition to Amazon
- The company may also deploy AI based applications on its devices
- Energy efficiency of AI technology is a huge topic, and reduction of carbon footprint will continue to dominate boardroom discussions
- Apple is continuing to acquire startups that are innovative and insightful in the area of carbon footprint reduction
What does Apple’s acquisition of Xnor.ai indicate?
Apple’s strategy of acquiring new start-ups seems to be fuelled by its need to compete with other major players such as Amazon and Google. Further, it also seems to be taking artificial intelligence very seriously. In the same breath, reduction of carbon footprint in AI deployment will continue to be a topic of discussion.
In addition, startups that dabble in AI with a strong basis in energy efficiency may have greater rate of acquisition. Finally, one may see more AI-enabled applications and tools on iOS and Mac OS devices.
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Western Digital officially owns SanDisk
The world's largest storage manufacturer officially gets even bigger this week. Western Digital announced today that the company has cleared all the necessary regulatory hurdles in their planned purchase of SanDisk.
Facebook Expands Services With WhatsApp Purchase
Facebook’s future path has been a topic of uncertainty for many since its inception, but that doesn’t stop them from making some big purchases.
2014 has been a big year for acquisitions. Google kicked the year off with its acquisition of Nest, followed shortly by Google’s sale of Motorola to Lenovo, and now it’s announced that Facebook plans to buy WhatsApp in a deal that totals out around $19 billion, or 19 Instagrams.
WhatsApp is a messaging service that many people use in lieu of their carrier’s text messaging service, since WhatsApp sends messages over the data network, which avoids any carrier charges and allows users to text internationally without the use of an international texting plan, very similar to e-mail, but through a text messaging interface.
The company reports it has 320 million active daily users, so it only makes sense that Facebook would want to bring them into the fold. Facebook isn’t the only one interested in WhatsApp, though. It’s rumored that Google offered $10 billion to the messaging service, which wisely held out for double from Facebook.
This acquisition will go a long way to enhancing Facebook’s robust communications services already in place. Pending a couple features such as cloud storage and a more robust calendar, Facebook could begin going toe to toe with Google, Apple, and Microsoft in cloud ecosystems.
Facebook still lacks proper hardware support, which its competitors have either through in-house manufacturing, or through OEM parnerships. The Facebook Home imbued HTC First is largely considered a flop despite a relatively warm critical reception, although much of the positivity regarding the phone should be attributed to HTC. It was the hardware, not so much the software that people appreciated with that phone.
Facebook Home is a service that is primed to be layered over Android phones, though, so we may be able to anticipate some more Facebook mobile news cropping up in the next few years with more Facebook centric devices.
Source: Business Insider
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Read more on Walyou, New Samsung Deal May Rock Blackberry’s Boat, New Google Services Certification to Reduce Fragmentation
Apple TV to Ink Content Deal With Time Warner (and Comcast)?
While rumors of an Apple television set still swirl, Apple TV continues to grow, and rumor has it Apple is about to release a new model this April.
Streaming services are starting to look even more appealing to cord-cutters as services such as Netflix have been producing award winning content that completes with the likes of Hollywood or HBO for the first time. As a result, streaming devices like Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku are even more integral to a post cord household.
Recent rumors suggest that the newest Apple TV could be going a similar direction the the Xbox One, though, with a possible deal with Time Warner in the works. Having access to both premium internet and cable content could be a big selling point over other streaming services. The added benefit may be necessary as the $99 price tag is hard to justify when something like the Google Chromecast is only $35.
The recent announcement of a possible acquisition of Time Warner by Comcast may change Apple’s plans for the device, but the Wall Street Journal suggests that Apple wants to make the 5 newest episodes of all TV shows available, also making them a direct competitor of services such as Hulu.
Whether or not this acquisition will actually be allowed is a big question, as the deal could be blocked by the US Department of Justice, or in court by competing companies (much in the same way that Sprint worked to block the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T a few years ago), but it’s doubtful the outcome will drastically affect any potential deal in the works with Apple.
With Internet content and broadcast/cable television content at odds, this device could be one to actually change the way we watch our video content, much in the same way that iTunes changed the way we purchase and listen to music.
the existence of such a device like won’t necessarily make the internet streaming industry and the cable/broadcast industry actually play nice, but so long as all the content is easily available to stream to our televisions, I’m not sure anyone really cares.
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Read more on Walyou, Full Chromecast Support Coming Soon to All Your Devices, New Google Services Certification to Reduce Fragmentation
Twitter said to have acquired fledgling video-sharing service Vine
Twitter has pretty much nailed text-based interaction, so it looks like it's time to diversify into video. According to AllThingsD, the blue birdie has snapped up a three-man outfit called Vine, a video-sharing startup intended specifically for bite-sized clips. You'd be forgiven for not knowing it -- the service hasn't actually launched yet -- and there's no word on whether it'll operate independently or be assimilated by the social network. There are bound to be more details revealed soon, and it might not be too long before you're sharing less in 140 characters and more in five-second clips.
Filed under: Internet
Twitter said to have acquired fledgling video-sharing service Vine originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AllThingsD | Email this | Comments FCC chairman green-lights AT&T’s use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order
AT&T is close to securing a major victory in its battle against the spectrum crunch. While it's not quite a done deal, FCC chairman Genachowski has submitted a proposed order to FCC commissioners that would authorize AT&T's deployment of its LTE service within a 20MHz portion of the 2.3GHz (WCS) band. The deal is unique in that the spectrum is currently reserved for satellite radio, and the reallocation would mark the first of its kind within the WCS band. As you may recall, AT&T previously conceded to a 5MHz dead zone on both ends of Sirius XM's operating frequency in order to mitigate interference concerns, and it seems the move was sufficient to gain the chairman's support.
Also looming on the FCC's to-do list is the decision of whether to approve AT&T's purchase NextWave and its unused WCS spectrum. If it's any indication, however, Chairman Genachowski seems bullish on the reallocation and has suggested that the agency may authorize another 30MHz of the WCS band for mobile broadband use. AT&T has previously said that it could feasibly deploy LTE over the 2.3GHz spectrum within the next three years. One group fighting the deal is the Competitive Carrier Association, which posits that AT&T's purchase of such a significant chunk of spectrum on the secondary market is anti-competitive in nature. It'll no doubt be interesting to see if the argument gains any traction with the FCC. In the meantime, you can view remarks from the agency's spokesperson after the break.
Continue reading FCC chairman green-lights AT&T's use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
FCC chairman green-lights AT&T's use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |FCC, GigaOM | Email this | Comments WSJ: Google set to acquire Frommer’s from Wiley, add trusted travel reviews
Just one year after its Zagat acquisition, Google has made a move on another trusted lifestyle brand. John Wiley & Sons Inc., the current owner of the Frommer's network of travel sites and guide books, confirmed the Mountain View acquisition, with a closing expected shortly. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google hasn't made a call concerning Frommer's printed guidebooks, which don't necessarily fall in line with the company's otherwise online-only model. It's also unclear whether or not the new content arm will fall under Zagat's leadership, though a department executive did comment on the acquisition in an interview, saying that Google planned to keep Frommer's on its current path for the time being. Neither company was able to confirm pricing for the buyout, which could help Google boost its reviews portfolio, backing user-submitted travel content with professional credibility. Full details are at the source link below.
Update: As it turns out, Google will reportedly be keeping the print staff on board, moving the team to its NYC offices. Online editors are less fortunate, however, with layoffs having already begun.
Filed under: Internet
WSJ: Google set to acquire Frommer's from Wiley, add trusted travel reviews originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |WSJ | Email this | Comments AT&T agrees to acquire NextWave for $600 million, gobbles up WCS and AWS spectrum
AT&T's making no secret of the fact it wants to snatch up as much spectrum as it possibly can, so news of the company's proposed acquisition of NextWave Wireless doesn't result in much of a shock. AT&T has agreed to purchase the company -- and all of its WCS (Wireless Communication Service) and AWS spectrum licenses and equity along with it -- for $25 million, pending FCC approval. If you count $25 million in contingency costs and the outstanding debt the big blue globe has also picked up, however, the total bill climbs to $600 million.
The deal comes shortly after AT&T partnered with Sirius XM to petition the FCC in the hopes that it would allow WCS (2.3GHz) spectrum to be opened up for LTE use -- mobile data is currently restricted by the federal body to prevent any interference with satellite radio. The government hasn't given the green light for this proposal yet (additionally, the NextWave deal isn't likely to be approved until later this year), but that's not stopping AT&T from its preparations just in case -- it plans to have WCS LTE ready for deployment in three years if everything works out in the carrier's favor.
Continue reading AT&T agrees to acquire NextWave for $600 million, gobbles up WCS and AWS spectrum
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
AT&T agrees to acquire NextWave for $600 million, gobbles up WCS and AWS spectrum originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |BusinessWire | Email this | Comments Microsoft to acquire Perceptive Pixel, pair up with 82-inch touchscreen manufacturer
Microsoft has already expressed its fondness for Perceptive Pixel's gigantic capacitive touchscreens, which became apparent during a live demo at the company's Windows 8 presentation at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, but now that friendship has become a bit more official. During Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference keynote in Toronto this morning, Steve Ballmer announced that Perceptive Pixel would be coming in-house, with Microsoft acquiring the display maker. The move seems to be in line with the company's recent shift to hardware manufacturing, beginning with last month's Surface introduction and its reinforced commitment to the recently renamed PixelSense smart table solution -- MS has just seized an opportunity to get a bit more hands-on. Full (limited) details are in the press release after the break.
Microsoft to acquire Perceptive Pixel, pair up with 82-inch touchscreen manufacturer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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