Corel snaps up virtualization software maker Parallels
Canada’s software developer best known for titles like CorelDRAW, WordPerfect and WinZip now also offers the complete Parallels product line.
Acquisition
Apple acquires London-based Platoon which specializes in scouting music talent
The London-based startup specializes in spotting and developing new music artists, seeing itself as a platform “for exceptional independent artists”.
Apple snaps up Silk Labs which makes lightweight AI for smart cameras and speakers
Apple has acquired a privacy-minded startup Silk Labs that was founded by Mozilla’s former Chief Technology Officer Andreas Gal.
Apple has acquired music analytics startup Asaii to bolster content recommendations
Apple has acquired San Francisco-based music analytics startup Asaii which uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to help clients like record labels find the next Justin Bieber. Apple will reportedly use their technology to bolster Apple Music recommendations to users and better compete with Spotify’s efforts to work directly with smaller artist.
Apple to buy parts of iPhone chip supplier Dialog Semiconductor for $600 million
Apple will pay $300 million in cash for parts of its supplier Dialog Semiconductor’s business and another $300 million in purchase obligations over the next three years.
Apple bought visual effects startup Spektral
Nearly a year ago, Apple purchased Spektral. The company develops software that allows photographers to add people from one digital scene to another.
Sirius XM is buying Pandora for $3.5 billion
In the works since at least 2014, the all-stock transaction will see the ad-supported Pandora service, as well as the company’s Plus and Premium subscriptions, continue unabated without changing pricing.
Potentially bad news for Spotify as EU approves Apple’s planned acquisition of Shazam
The regulators have concluded that the proposed acquisition of Shazam by Apple would not reduce choice for users of streaming music services in Europe, like Sweden-headquartered Spotify.
Reuters: EU antitrust regulators will approve Apple-Shazam deal on September 18
EU’s antitrust regulators should approve Apple’s acquisition of the British music identification service on September 18.
Logitech expand its product portfolio by acquiring Blue Microphones
Logitech and Blue Microphones are joining teams to extend their product portfolios, which will especially benefit Logitech which lacks products like cool mics in it offering.
Apple may acquire 1Password, will deploy the app to all 123,000 employees [U: false]
Apple has reportedly reached an interesting deal with makers of the popular cross-platform password manager 1Password that will see it deploy the app to all 123,000 employees.
Sony becomes the world’s largest music publisher after buying a controlling stake in EMI
Increasing its stake in EMI Music Publishing to 90%, Sony just became the world’s largest music publisher while giving EMI a value of around $4.75 billion, including debt, or more than double its value in 2011.