Apple Acquires Machine Learning Startup Tuplejump

[MacRumors]

Apple recently acquired its third machine learning company since 2015, purchasing India-based company Tuplejump, reports TechCrunch. Tuplejump focused on simplifying data management techniques and creating tools to make it easy to deal with large quantities of data. From an archive of the now-defunct Tuplejump website:

A few years ago people realised that the volume of data that businesses generate was becoming unwieldy. A new set of technologies to handle this huge amounts of data cropped up. We were one of the early adopters of these 'big-data' technologies. Having helped Fortune 500 companies adopt these technologies we quickly realised how complicated they were and how much simpler they could get.

Thus started our quest to simplify data management technologies and make them extremely simple to use. We are building technology that is simple to use, scalable and will allow people to ask difficult questions on huge datasets.

According to TechCrunch, Apple purchased Tuplejump for its "FiloDB" open source project designed to use machine learning concepts and analytics on massive amounts of data in realtime. It appears FiloDB will continue on as an open source project.

Apple confirmed the acquisition of Tuplejump with its standard statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Other recent machine learning acquisitions include Perceptio and Turi. Apple is employing machine learning techniques across its operating system, using the technology for features like object and facial recognition in Photos, the new "Portrait" mode in the iPhone 7 Plus, major Siri improvements, and more.

Article Link: Apple Acquires Machine Learning Startup Tuplejump

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Rabbit + blue fur.

It's legit. Apple and IBM are building a petting zoo.

 

[centauratlas]

It is odd that Apple would '...Apple purchased Tuplejump for its "FiloDB" open source project ...'.

I suspect it has more to do with other things, perhaps their expertise in using said project and research in advances with it as if they only wanted the open source project, they could just git clone it from github. The people and knowledge there are no doubt key.

 

[lincolntran]

Anyone see the title and the logo and immediately pronounced Turtlejump in their heads?

 

[GeneralChang]

That company name and logo are the best thing I've seen today.

 

[satchmo]

Rabbit faux fur-lined watch bands.

 

[LordQ]

Rabbit faux fur-lined watch bands.

"This is something only courageous Apple could do".

 

[frifra]

I hope they implement it soon. For me it still feels like Siri is in kindergarden while Cortana and Hey Google are finishing university.

 

[B4U]

I saw the logo and thought of Blue Bunny ice cream......
Summer is not over yet!!

 

[Porco]

Hark, is that the distant echoey voice of Art Garfunkle I hear?

#... or is it a dream... ?

 

[69Mustang]

According to TechCrunch, Apple purchased Tuplejump for its "FiloDB" open source project designed to use machine learning concepts and analytics on massive amounts of data in realtime.

What data? Apple doesn't collect massive amounts of data.

/runs for cover

 

[usarioclave]

What ever happened to foundationDB?

 

[Hastings101]

That is the most adorable logo for a tech company

 

[Zirel]

It is odd that Apple would '...Apple purchased Tuplejump for its "FiloDB" open source project ...'.

I suspect it has more to do with other things, perhaps their expertise in using said project and research in advances with it as if they only wanted the open source project, they could just git clone it from github. The people and knowledge there are no doubt key.

If there's a pattern with Apple acquisitions, is that they seem to do them to hold the talent, the people that work there.

 

[Phoenixx]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

 

[Worf]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

Apple already broke down how they use differential privacy. If they apply that same concept here, then I see no problem. I quite like the idea that it's possible to analyze data at an aggregate level and respect privacy without needing to target individuals.

 

[RDeckard]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

Do you really think that machine learning can ONLY be used for marketing purposes? Here are some other uses, beyond marketing:

• Prediction of equipment failures (Apple makes more than a couple of phones and computers each year)
• New pricing models (they sell a few [million] products each year. All over the world.)
• Network intrusion detection (they operate a decent-sized data center operation)
• Pattern and image recognition (I think there are kind of a lot of pictures being taken by iPhones)
• Fraud detection (they kinda sell a lot of stuff. At stores. And on App Stores. And iTunes.)
• Email & message spam filtering (Mail. iMessage.)
• Text-based sentiment analysis (FYI, some people actually say things about Apple. Online.)

So, no. I don't see a MASSIVE contradiction.

 

[autrefois]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

They bought them to shut them down to protect everyone's privacy! Next up on Apple's shopping list, Alphabet/Google.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

So called big data is a buzz phrase and a big thing now. Angles here is they may be looking at services in this realm. Nice money maker potential here.
If....they don't screw it up and apple-fy it. Software as a service works best when you push we just make the software, you install this where ever you want. Think apple is realizing this picking up open source vendors of late. Being open source they could just take the code, have swift team translate to swift, release under various open source licensing allowances and get paid really.

they just make the analysis package/service, you install on whatever or hire their services and its move on from there and they get paid. This is where M$ makes a good chunk of its money. We can argue apple is hitting hardware sales walls. At some point you can only sell so many phones/pads/computers before saturation hit. This is where M$ makes out, they sell services and applications. With annual maintenance costs usually.

These...you always need to pay. Unlike a phone. I am happy with my 6, no desire for 7 so will ride out that 6 till she dies. if its iphone 9, that will be the one I buy most likely lol. Not a hidden phone discontent rant...example of very small scale market saturation. Happy 6 users (wife and I) and 6 more than meets out needs. There will barring dead phone issue be no 7 sales from our household.

What they get from the current employees is jump start in this realm. Data science an expanding field, apple can't realistically start from 0 and be up and running well here.

 

[usarioclave]

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

It's a contradiction because you don't understand what's happening.

 

[1applerules1]

Anyone see the title and the logo and immediately pronounced Turtlejump in their heads?

I was legit hoping they acquired google fiber for a second. And then my hopes and dreams died

 

[Pakaku]

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

Data collection =/= data selling (i.e. breach of privacy)

 

[Crismartin2145]

Nice post... thanks for shring with us

 

[Phoenixx]

Apple already broke down how they use differential privacy. If they apply that same concept here, then I see no problem. I quite like the idea that it's possible to analyze data at an aggregate level and respect privacy without needing to target individuals.

They bought them to shut them down to protect everyone's privacy! Next up on Apple's shopping list, Alphabet/Google.

So called big data is a buzz phrase and a big thing now. Angles here is they may be looking at services in this realm. Nice money maker potential here.
If....they don't screw it up and apple-fy it. Software as a service works best when you push we just make the software, you install this where ever you want. Think apple is realizing this picking up open source vendors of late. Being open source they could just take the code, have swift team translate to swift, release under various open source licensing allowances and get paid really.

they just make the analysis package/service, you install on whatever or hire their services and its move on from there and they get paid. This is where M$ makes a good chunk of its money. We can argue apple is hitting hardware sales walls. At some point you can only sell so many phones/pads/computers before saturation hit. This is where M$ makes out, they sell services and applications. With annual maintenance costs usually.

These...you always need to pay. Unlike a phone. I am happy with my 6, no desire for 7 so will ride out that 6 till she dies. if its iphone 9, that will be the one I buy most likely lol. Not a hidden phone discontent rant...example of very small scale market saturation. Happy 6 users (wife and I) and 6 more than meets out needs. There will barring dead phone issue be no 7 sales from our household.

What they get from the current employees is jump start in this realm. Data science an expanding field, apple can't realistically start from 0 and be up and running well here.

It's a contradiction because you don't understand what's happening.

Data collection =/= data selling (i.e. breach of privacy)

Wow, such a lot of replies from people who clearly didn't actually READ my post. Which actually said:

So, in essence, Apple, the company that says that it doesn't collect user data and values user privacy, have bought a company that specialises in processing large amounts of user data in real time.

Does anyone else see a MASSIVE contradiction here?

Apple CLAIMS not to be collecting user data, yet it goes and purchases a company that specialises in processing massive amounts of user data in real time. Apple wouldn't need to be doing this, if all user data was encrypted and privacy was protected like they claim it is - they simply would not have as much data to work with. This purchase, along with other similar ones, is a very clear indication that Apple is collecting FAR MORE user data than they pretend they do. Apple uses privacy as nothing more than a marketing tool to sell their products, but their approach is largely a sham; if they were genuinely seriously about it, there would be client side encryption on iCloud.

 

[autrefois]

Wow, such a lot of replies from people who clearly didn't actually READ my post.

I did read your post and generally agree with you. My post (which you included here) was sarcastic: I don't think Apple is really buying them to protect user privacy, just like I don't think they're going to buy Google either...