Apple Reportedly Close to Acquiring 'Path', Looking to Integrate Service Into Messages

MacRumors · Sep 9, 2014

Apple is said to be close to acquiring social network Path in an attempt to boost the company's social media efforts, reports PandoDaily. Citing a "well-placed" source inside Apple's engineering team, the site notes that the deal is "essentially a done deal" and would see Apple integrating Path's current services into its Messages app.

Additionally, Path founder Dave Morin was seen sitting in the front row for today's special media event, which is usually reserved for high ranking executives at the company. Throughout the past few years, Apple has also featured Path in a number of its earlier advertising campaigns and keynotes for the iPhone.

However, the social networking service caused a fair amount of controversy in 2012 when it was discovered to be uploading users' entire address books to its servers without alerting users or asking for authorization. The issue prompted an investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as Morin was even summoned to Apple's Cupertino headquarters to be grilled by CEO Tim Cook and other executives.

Path's last major development came in June when the company announced that it would be launching its own separate messaging app, complete with quick reply capabilities and Apple Maps integration.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Close to Acquiring 'Path', Looking to Integrate Service Into Messages

Jakexb · Sep 9, 2014

Smart move. Path is a beautiful app with no purpose or use case. But put those people to work on something useful like messages and I think you'll really have something.

DFZD · Sep 9, 2014

Apple is getting into the Social Networking business, because Facebook got into Instant Messaging business with Whatsapp?

daniel4 · Sep 9, 2014

I wouldn't say "no purpose." My entire family is scattered around the globe (military, etc) and use it to stay in touch without spreading stuff all over Facebook etc.

TheBuffather · Sep 9, 2014

Careful, MacRumors. I forgot which one, but one of the major tech news blogs wrote a post about how someone was trying to manipulate the news surrounding path by sending in tons of tips which almost seemed true.

Rogifan · Sep 9, 2014

Dave Morin is always near the front row at Apple events. I think today he was in the front row.

driven01 · Sep 9, 2014

I do a lot of Social Messaging.

FB: Yep.
WhatsApp: Yes, 2 or 3 people I contact with
Line: Friends in Asia
Path: Never heard of them.

Maybe I will soon.

Reason077 · Sep 9, 2014

I played around with Path a couple of years back.

Nice app, with a beautiful UI, but essentially it's another Facebook / Instagram but with a lot less users - which tends to work against you in the social networking genre.

It will be interesting to see if Apple can do anything with it. Ping 2.0? Or maybe they just want to acquire the company for its developer/design talent.

T'hain Esh Kelch · Sep 9, 2014

Why did he get summoned to Apple HQ in 2012 to be grilled? A random trade commission punishment, as they know Apple CEOs can be nasty to deal with?

Jessica Lares · Sep 9, 2014

A group of friends and I were using Path after the social network we were on closed. It's a nice service, but when you look at the big picture, it's basically a narrowed down Facebook. We ended up all going back to just using a Facebook group after a few months even.

I think they'll just acquire them for the talent and close Path down. Probably put them to work on making photostream better.

nutmac · Sep 9, 2014

If true, bad move. If Apple wants to do the job right, spend the dough and buy Twitter. No one wants to use social network with few active users. Just ask Google.

And if they want to acquire one anyway, get App.net instead. It's much cheaper and better product IMO (with no users).

Reason077 · Sep 9, 2014

TheBuffather said:
Careful, MacRumors. I forgot which one, but one of the major tech news blogs wrote a post about how someone was trying to manipulate the news surrounding path by sending in tons of tips which almost seemed true.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/26/someone-keeps-sending-us-fake-tips-about-path/

cmaus · Sep 10, 2014

Good

Yay, that's awesome
Path is nice.

Mac Fly (film) · Sep 10, 2014

Rename it. Path is such a mediocre name for a service.

poppy10 · Sep 10, 2014

Obligatory read whenever Morin is brought up:
http://www.metafilter.com/127572/A-Cnt-and-His-iPhone

Blakjack · Sep 10, 2014

Are they buying path to have a social network or are they buying path to integrate more social features into messaging?

thefourthpope · Sep 10, 2014

I think apple would benefit from a better (more integrated, less 3rd-party) way to share photos and video.

We joined Path right after our first child was born in 2011. It was and is a solid way to share images with a small and controlled group of people. The grandparents love it. It's easy to save a shared pic or video, and the tagging/comment system is intuitive.

It does the photos really well; I just wish they would stick to that. They keep adding 'features' like stickers, separate messaging, and music updates. If we didn't have so much already in the app I might consider just switching the whole effort to Instagram.

cocky jeremy · Sep 10, 2014

driven01 said:
I do a lot of Social Messaging.

FB: Yep.
WhatsApp: Yes, 2 or 3 people I contact with
Line: Friends in Asia
Path: Never heard of them.

Maybe I will soon.

It's a gorgeous app. Super clean, super simple.. there's just no one using it. If Apple made it their own, it could really hurt Facebook.. which I would love.

----------

Reason077 said:
I played around with Path a couple of years back.

Nice app, with a beautiful UI, but essentially it's another Facebook / Instagram but with a lot less users - which tends to work against you in the social networking genre.

It will be interesting to see if Apple can do anything with it. Ping 2.0? Or maybe they just want to acquire the company for its developer/design talent.

Ping was rather pointless. Path is already amazing, as you said, just needs someone big behind it to give it a big, mainstream push. Apple could do that. I hope they keep the service, instead of purchasing for the talent.

Razeus · Sep 10, 2014

They want it for the messaging features, not the social network part. I've used Path off and on, even used it as a personal diary because I couldn't anyone to join it. It's a beautiful app, and I like it, but without interaction, it's useless. It's better off as a messaging app.

JoEw · Sep 10, 2014

Path is a neat idea but I don't think there is room for another social media app.

Apple should buy them and make their messages app more feature rich.

Ibjr · Sep 10, 2014

TheBuffather said:
Careful, MacRumors. I forgot which one, but one of the major tech news blogs wrote a post about how someone was trying to manipulate the news surrounding path by sending in tons of tips which almost seemed true.

Path isn't publicly traded so why would someone do this? Sounds like a dumb theory a news site used to explain why it was wrong about a rumor.

Razeus · Sep 10, 2014

Ibjr said:
Path isn't publicly traded so why would someone do this? Sounds like a dumb theory a news site used to explain why it was wrong about a rumor.

Not when you're app realize your company relies on acquiring many users, some which pay a few for extra features, in order to stay afloat.

It must international users keeping them alive, because honestly, I don't see how they are still in "business".

Apple Reportedly Close to Acquiring 'Path', Looking to Integrate Service Into Messages

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