Apple Reportedly Set to Acquire Israeli 3D Body Sensing Firm PrimeSense [Updated]

MacRumors · Nov 17, 2013

Back in July, Apple was reported to have been looking at acquiring Israeli firm PrimeSense, the company behind the original 3D body sensing technology used by Microsoft for its Kinect platform, for around $280 million.

According to Israeli newspaper Calcalist [Google Translate, via SlashGear], a deal is now on the verge of being completed, with Apple agreeing to purchase PrimeSense for approximately $345 million. The report claims that the contract was scheduled to have been signed earlier this month but that one final legal issue has delayed the process. The contract should be finalized within the next few days, with an official announcement coming in the next two weeks.

Apple has expressed interest in Kinect-like motion control of such products as appliances and vehicle instrumentation, but the main area where the company has been rumored to be using the technology is in television. Reports have indicated that Apple is looking at Kinect-like motion control for its future television set, although the project is said to be seeing continuing delays due to difficult content negotiations with Apple shifting its near-term focus to wearables such as the "iWatch".

Update: AllThingsD has confirmed that Apple is indeed in talks with PrimeSense, but while a deal is "close" to being completed, final details such as liquidity preferences have yet to be worked out. Apple has declined to comment on the matter, while PrimeSense has released the following statement:

"PrimeSense is the leading 3D technology in the market. We are focused on building a prosperous company while bringing 3D sensing and Natural Interaction to the mass market in a variety of markets such as interactive living room and mobile devices. We do not comment on what any of our partners, customers or potential customers are doing and we do not relate to rumors or re-cycled rumors."

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Set to Acquire Israeli 3D Body Sensing Firm PrimeSense [Updated]

Risco · Nov 17, 2013

So does this mean Microsoft will have to pay Apple royalties for Kinect? If so, then that is gonna hurt haha!

Rogifan · Nov 17, 2013

Risco said:
So does this mean Microsoft will have to pay Apple royalties for Kinect? If so, then that is gonna hurt haha!

I believe Microsoft is using their own technology for Kinect.

rei101 · Nov 17, 2013

"Innovation"... nothing worst that moving your hands to change channels. I rather move the finger.

osx11 · Nov 17, 2013

....Apple TV.....slowly but steadily....the clues are becoming more clear.....

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Rogifan said:
I believe Microsoft is using their own technology for Kinect.

According to wikipedia, a subsidiary of Microsoft writes the software, but the hardware still comes from this Israeli firm. If this is true, it's a smart move by Apple. Why didn't Microsoft buy PrimeSense?

yinz · Nov 17, 2013

rei101 said:
"Innovation"... nothing worst that moving your hands to change channels. I rather move the finger.

But you don't need a remote. Finding a remote takes more effort than waving your hand. Although this would prove very inconvenient for the handicapped..

Torrijos · Nov 17, 2013

Nice for Apple, not so much for tinkers everywhere....

I wanted to tinker with their sensor for a personal project but the simple sensor is only sold in bulk (over a million$), and I didn't wanted the old kinect version.

576316 · Nov 17, 2013

Looking forward to this. The day I can wake up my MacBook or tell it to shut down with a flick of my hand. They'd have to bypass accidental movements then. I can imagine waving to your friend and your MacBook shuts down. Looking forward to see how Apple develops this and implements it not only in Apple TV but other products too. Maybe we'll also get something like that Android phone which you wave at to answer a call.

lewisd25 · Nov 17, 2013

All the pieces seem to be falling into place for an Apple television, but I just don't see it happening. Apple doesn't have the retail structure to sell TVs....not to mention the fact that selling large televisions is not like selling phones, tablets, and computers. The average consumer won't buy a new tv on the same upgrade cycle as a phone. I think a fully featured set top box seems more logical.

rei101 · Nov 17, 2013

yinz said:
But you don't need a remote. Finding a remote takes more effort than waving your hand. Although this would prove very inconvenient for the handicapped..

That is so unrealistic. The remote is always around.

If you are laying on a side, how are you going to wave your hands?
or if you are with our girlfriend all cuddle... waving your hands sabotages all.
Why waving your hands when you already can move just one finger?

Now, if Apple is into that, I believe they lost the train regarding Apple TV, I do not see innovation anymore that is not out there already.

osx11 · Nov 17, 2013

rei101 said:
That is so unrealistic. The remote is always around.

If you are laying on a side, how are you going to wave your hands?
or if you are with our girlfriend all cuddle... waving your hands sabotages all.
Why waving your hands when you already can move just one finger?

Now, if Apple is into that, I believe they lost the train regarding Apple TV, I do not see innovation anymore that is not out there already.

I willing to bet that if Apple does indeed release a TV, it will NOT come with a physical remote like we're used it now.

AppleMark · Nov 17, 2013

yinz said:
But you don't need a remote. Finding a remote takes more effort than waving your hand. Although this would prove very inconvenient for the handicapped..

Yes and no.

I bought a top of the range Samsung TV [Note for the idiots -This is not a random dig at Samsung, just a true story] at the beginning of the year with the same motion gimmicks. The execution of the interface was terrible. So much so in fact, that I returned the set for a more 'simplistic' Panasonic Plasma with 2 remotes...

Build quality aside (which was bad for a high end comparable set), the interface was glitchy and unreliable at the best of times.

Imagine Siri on a bad day (everyday in my case..), not understanding anything you say, needing to shout instructions and then waving your hands around to control it and the wrong things, or nothing happening fast.

I do not doubt that Apple (along with everybody else) will soon release a better user interface experience, where it will be quicker and easier than looking for the remote, but the current offerings are not quite there yet in my mind.

Additionally and in agreement, the intricacy and unreliability of some of the interfaces I have tried to date, are far from disabled friendly.

FirePhantom · Nov 17, 2013

Facebook offers $3,000,000,000 for an instant messaging app.

Apple secures an innovative company with real-world products and a patent portfolio for $345,000,000.

Topsy-turvy times we're living in.

winston1236 · Nov 17, 2013

FirePhantom said:
Facebook offers $3,000,000,000 for an instant messaging app.

Apple secures an innovative company with real-world products and a patent portfolio for $345,000,000.

Topsy-turvy times we're living in.

The worst part is they accepted Apple's low ball offer. They should have countered somewhere in the billions.

Rogifan · Nov 17, 2013

For what it's worth PrimeSense denies Apple purchase...

http://www.businessinsider.com/primesense-denies-apple-buy-for-345m-2013-11

Marx55 · Nov 17, 2013

Apple should make 3D displays for the Mac with support for nVidia 3D Vision
http://www.nvidia.com/object/3d-vision-main.html

dgdosen · Nov 17, 2013

I think this is great - and given advances in the technology, I think capabilities of these motion sensors will be overwhelmingly jump in the next generation.

Torrijos said:
Nice for Apple, not so much for tinkers everywhere....

Tinkerers should love this - Of course Apple will build a multi-layered api to get at this technology for developers because... why not!? iOS has CoreMotion for devices with sensors... I'll just name it here and call it CoreMovement.

rei101 said:
If you are laying on a side, how are you going to wave your hands?
or if you are with our girlfriend all cuddle... waving your hands sabotages all.
Why waving your hands when you already can move just one finger?

I'd say advances in this tech will be able to easily distinguish which person 'is' the remote and motions will be much more granular. Mr. Smooth, I'll bet you'll be able to wink at the TV and have it turn down the volume and automatically switch over to playing Barry White off your iTunes - doing the exact opposite of sabotage...

Most importantly, I see 2015 as a huge year for TV 'changes' because the NFL will be expanding it's wings away from DirectTV. The NFL is entirely too greedy not to want more of Apple's (and our) money. It's all just a huge catalyst for change.

sinsin07 · Nov 17, 2013

rei101 said:
That is so unrealistic. The remote is always around.

If you are laying on a side, how are you going to wave your hands?
or if you are with our girlfriend all cuddle... waving your hands sabotages all.
Why waving your hands when you already can move just one finger?

Now, if Apple is into that, I believe they lost the train regarding Apple TV, I do not see innovation anymore that is not out there already.

Then use the damn remote. Simple. People get so locked in like there is only one way to do some thing.

Solomani · Nov 17, 2013

winston1236 said:
The worst part is they accepted Apple's low ball offer. They should have countered somewhere in the billions.

If they are acquiring the company in its entirety, then it's very likely that the employees and/or executives of PrimeSense will also be given shares of AAPL stock. Cash is not the only thing they got.

It actually makes sense for AAPL to give them stock shares, because it will be an incentive for the Kinect programmers and original engineers to stick around for some time under Apple. You do realize that when small companies are acquired, many disgruntled employees leave soon after, right?

P.S. -- IMHO, if true, this is one of the best acquisitions that Apple has made in recent years. This is about as important as Microsoft's acquisition of Bungie in 2000.

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Rogifan said:
For what it's worth PrimeSense denies Apple purchase...

http://www.businessinsider.com/primesense-denies-apple-buy-for-345m-2013-11

Of course they deny it. If the agreement is "on the verge", then the deal is not yet finalized. No sane person on either side of the negotiating table will confirm an acquisition, especially when it hasn't happened yet.

mrxak · Nov 17, 2013

More and more, I'm really just not interested in an Apple TV set at all. I'd much rather have a large dumb 4K monitor that's hooked up to an actual internet-connected computer and can do whatever a computer can. No interest in fancy sensors and interfaces, just OS X and whatever software I want to run, please.

That said, if Apple can provide the content, and break us free from the current network/cable model of schedules and advertisements, I'll gladly use an Apple TV service on all of my Apple devices. I suspect it's the service that's holding up the Apple TV, not the technology. Content companies are way too invested in an ancient user-unfriendly system that has no place in the modern world. When pirating provides a better user experience and is cheaper, TV is doomed. If Apple can make an even better experience (particularly in ease of access) and charge only a little, TV can be saved.

Manderby · Nov 17, 2013

Give the two females in the image something to eat!

markyr17 · Nov 17, 2013

Manderby said:
Give the two females in the image something to eat!

Really?

They look perfectly healthy.

mdelvecchio · Nov 17, 2013

rei101 said:
"Innovation"... nothing worst that moving your hands to change channels. I rather move the finger.

unless you've been in apple's secret design labs, i must conclude that you have no idea whatsoever what you're talking about.

xdhd350 · Nov 17, 2013

It would seem to most that they want this company to incorporate into a TV, which may be the case. But.... what if they are really interested in the IP portfolio, and they may have other use cases where this company has done some of the ground work.

I hate to speculate when it comes to Apple. They have made many so called experts eat their words over the last decade or so.

virtualSIM · Nov 17, 2013

Edit: It appears a moderator removed the controversial posts questioning Israeli companies' viability as business partners.

Seems like a sound piece of business by Apple though, following in the footsteps of the Anobit acquisition.

Apple Reportedly Set to Acquire Israeli 3D Body Sensing Firm PrimeSense [Updated]

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