Apple's 2013 Acquisitions/Google

Apple Buys Twitter Analytics Startup Topsy Labs

 

Apple Buys Twitter Data Tool, and More

 

Google Joins a Heavyweight Competition in Cloud Computing New York Times MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google already runs much of the digital lives of consumers through email, Internet searches and YouTube videos. Now it wants the ... See all stories on this topic »	New York Times
Google's Creepy Patent to Automate Your Social Media Voice Slate Magazine (blog) Google's already accustomed to predicting how our collectively sordid minds fill in blanks. In an age of “hyperintermediation,” it was just a matter of time before ... See all stories on this topic »	Slate Magazine (blog)
Google Cloud Compute Engine goes live Computerworld IDG News Service - After running the service in preview mode for over a year, Google is making its IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) Google Compute Engine ... See all stories on this topic »
Google Now leads the way for apps that know what you want before ... Daily Mail Technically Google Now doesn't read a user's mind, but it is capable of predicting what they will do next, before offering relevant help and information at each ... See all stories on this topic »	Daily Mail
Google agrees Game of Thrones deal with HBO The Guardian Google has struck a deal with HBO to make Game of Thrones available on its TV service, getting one over rival Apple iTunes, which does not have rights for the ... See all stories on this topic »	The Guardian
Google takes on Amazon by cutting cloud service prices Chicago Tribune SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc will lower prices on cloud services as the search giant gears up to take on Amazon.com Inc, International Business ... See all stories on this topic »
Google's Compute Engine now ready for business ZDNet Google has announced the general availability of its Google Compute Engine which allows companies to run large-scale workloads on virtual machines hosted ... See all stories on this topic »
Google cloud IaaS GA: GCE to rival Azure and Amazon EC2 Computerworld (blog) Google is making its IaaS...Google Compute Engine (GCE) available as a full-fledged commercial service. ... Although the company has offered the Google App ... See all stories on this topic »	Computerworld (blog)
Google Seen Targeting India With Smartphones, YouTube Investor's Business Daily Google's (GOOG) big ambitions in India include increasing mobile Internet users, boosting YouTube users and growing its Google+ social networking service, ... See all stories on this topic »
Google Compute Engine goes live InfoWorld After running the service in preview mode for over a year, Google is making its IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) Google Compute Engine (GCE) available as a ... See all stories on this topic »

蘋果公司(Apple) 2013年的收購狂潮本週仍在繼續。據報導，這家iPhone生產商斥資逾2億美元收購了搜索分析公司Topsy。

蘋果公司首席執行長庫克(Tim Cook)在第三財政季度電話會議上表示，2013年蘋果進行了15宗收購交易。

Dealogic追蹤發現了蘋果今年收購的10家公司。通常而言蘋果的收購交易都是悄悄進行的，很少對外披露收購價格。

以下是蘋果今年收購交易的詳情。該公司沒有回覆記者有關其他收購交易的詢問。

#1 地圖：蘋果似乎在尋找21世紀的地圖繪製者。蘋果今年收購的10家公司（Dealogic掌握到的信息）中，有四家是繪圖/定位公司。

--3月份，WiFiSLAM。這是一家繪圖公司，可以追蹤用戶在室內的位置。

--7月份，HopStop.com。乘坐紐約地鐵的人應該知道這家公司。該公司幫助通勤者規劃如何通過公交系統走遍紐約市（現在還包括其他城市）。

--7月份，Locationary。這是一家加拿大初創企業，被稱為“定位領域的維基百科”。

--8月份，Embark。這是另一款幫助通勤者規劃公交路線的軟件。

#2 晶片（半導體）：蘋果一直在收購晶片公司，來幫助實現在動用更少內存的情況下提高功效。更讓人興奮的：一種可以給電子設備帶來“眼睛”或感官能力的晶片。

--8月份，Passif Semiconductor。這家初創公司開發晶片來幫助無線裝置降低功率和減少對電池的消耗。

--11月份，PrimeSense（被Dealogic標識為待定）。福布斯(Forbes)將這家以色列公司的晶片形容為Siri潛在的“眼睛”，可以給電子設備帶來3D感官體驗。

--11月份，AlgoTrim。這家瑞典公司不生產晶片，但該公司的軟件通過“壓縮技術”可以幫助電子設備以更高效率、更少內存運行大量數據。

#3 數據：蘋果似乎在搜尋那些可以幫助研究你在網上做什麼事以及?什麼做這件事的公司。

--12月份，Topsy。這家初創公司通過分析推特(Twitter)上的對話來測量話題熱度。

其他：

--8月份，Matcha.tv。該公司提供自營在線視頻推薦服務。

--10月份，Cue。該公司的軟件可以將iPhone或iPad的數據轉變為私人助理。






Apple's 2013 Acquisitions: Maps, Videos and Data
Apple's 2013 acquisition spree continued this week. The iPhone maker reportedly purchased search analytics firm Topsy for 'more than $200 million.'

On his third quarter conference call, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said that the company had made 15 acquisitions in 2013.

Dealogic tracked down 10 of the companies purchased by Apple this year. Apple typically keeps it acquisitions quiet and rarely discloses a purchase price.

Here's a rundown of what Apple is getting from its busy year. Apple did not return requests for information on the additional deals:

#1 Maps: Apple appears to be seeking out 21st century cartographers. Four of the Apple's 10 2013 acquisitions (captured by Dealogic) were mapping/location companies.

-- In March -- WiFiSLAM. It's a mapping company that figured out how to
track a user's location indoors.
-- In July -- HopStop.com. Riders of the NYC subway system know this one. It
helps a commuter plot travels around New York City (and now other cities)
via public transit.
-- In July -- Locationary. The Canadian startup has been described as a
'Wikipedia for location.'
-- In August -- Embark. It's another app that helps commuters navigate mass
transit.

#2 Chips (semiconductors): Apple has been acquiring companies with the chips to help its product function more powerfully using less memory. Much more exciting: a chip that gives devices 'eyes' or sensory powers.
-- In August -- Passif Semiconductor. The startup built chips to help
wireless devices use less power and battery life.
-- In November -- PrimeSense (listed as pending by Dealogic). Forbes
described the Israeli company's chips as potential 'eyes' for Siri that
create 3D sensors in devices.
-- In November -- AlgoTrim. This Swedish company doesn't make chips, but
its software helps devices run reams of data more efficiently by using
less memory with its 'compression technology.'

#3 Data: Apple appears to be hunting for companies that show what you're doing online and why you're doing it.
-- In December -- Topsy. The startup analyzes conversations on Twitter to
measure 'exposure.'
Others:
-- In August -- Matcha.tv. The company offers proprietary online video
recommendations.
-- In October -- Cue. The company has software to turn the data in an iPhone or iPad into a personal assistant.

Maureen Farrell