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”.
Acquisitions
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.
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.
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.
European Commission is investigating Apple’s proposed acquisition of Shazam
Apple’s proposed acquisition of British music discovery app Shazam has reportedly sparked an in-depth antitrust investigation in Europe through September 4 because the European Commission is concerned the deal might give the iPhone maker an unfair advantage in poaching users from its rivals, like Spotify.
Apple signs a deal to buy digital magazine subscription service Texture
Apple has signed an agreement to acquire the Texture service which gives users unlimited access to their favorite digital magazines for one low monthly subscription fee.
EU regulators worried Apple-Shazam deal may hurt competition
The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it is going to “assess the acquisition of Shazam by Apple.”
Apple acquires developer tool startup Buddybuild
Apple has acquired Canadian startup Buddybuild, according to a blog post on the company’s website.