Apple Acquired 29 Companies Since Beginning of Fiscal 2014, Including Five Since April

[MacRumors]

During today's third quarter earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple has purchased a total of 29 companies over the course of the last nine months, including five new companies after the end of the March quarter. Of the 29 companies purchased, some are known but many remain unknown.

Only two of Apple's newest acquisitions have been revealed, including LuxVue Technology in early May Spotsetter in June, leaving three unknown acquisitions. The May acquisition of Beats was not counted in the 29 company total because the deal, which was Apple's most expensive purchase to date, doesn't close until this quarter. After the Beats deal closes, the total number of acquisitions will rise to 30.

Earlier in 2014, Apple acquired SnappyLabs, a company that produced a burst-mode photo app, and Burstly, the company behind the Testflight iOS beta testing platform.

Many of the other acquisitions were made in 2013, and those purchases focused heavily on mapping. 2013 acquisitions included mapping companies BroadMap, Embark, HopStop, Locationary, and WiFiSlam, along with other notable additions like 3D company PrimeSense and Novauris, a speech recognition company.

The technology from Apple's acquisitions will undoubtedly make its way into future products and updates. For example, significant mapping updates are expected sometime after the launch of iOS 8, adding transit directions and improved indoor mapping techniques.

During the company's April earnings call, Tim Cook said Apple was "on the prowl" for additional companies to acquire and in today's call, Cook said that Apple is always looking at acquisition space and doesn't let "money burn a hole in our pocket."

Article Link: Apple Acquired 29 Companies Since Beginning of Fiscal 2014, Including Five Since April

 

[nepalisherpa]

Gobble Gobble!

 

[Michael Goff]

Many people don't realize this, but this is how large companies innovate sometimes ...

 

[Zellio]

Yeah, this sounds like Microsoft's idea of innovation..

 

[B...]

"On the prowl": like a big cat? Maybe a Mountain Lion?

 

[thekev]

Yeah, this sounds like Microsoft's idea of innovation..

Are you unaware that some of their best successes were built from buyouts of others companies or just ignoring that? This is nothing new. Even 10 years ago they were a fairly large company. Buying up something proven requires much less risk. The unfortunate thing is that it shuts down some interesting companies.

 

[needfx]

I firmly believe Apple should consult a corporate psychologist.

This binge acquisition syndrome is something that needs addressing

 

[alent1234]

Yeah, this sounds like Microsoft's idea of innovation..

this is how google did it. except for search, they didn't invent most of their current services in house

at one point they were buying dozens of small companies per year last decade

 

[jamesdmc]

I didn't realize HopStop was owned by Apple. We just got back from our first trip to New York a couple of days ago. Hopstop got us where we wanted to go via the New York subway system quite nicely.

 

[PocketSand11]

Yeah, this sounds like Microsoft's idea of innovation..

As opposed to what, the CEO doing everything? Any company MS buys becomes part of MS, so those companies' innovations are those of MS.

 

[luckydcxx]

as a publicly traded company is Apple required to give the names and prices to shareholders if requested?

 

[Rogifan]

Yeah, this sounds like Microsoft's idea of innovation..

You mean Google right? They've purchased more stuff than Apple.

 

[drewcurley]

Apple can buy my startup!

For Sale: Tech startup known as Elusiva. We offer one product, and if you can't discover it on the internet, then you know it's working! It is an internet eraser! Just try finding Elusiva by DC Software... but you can't find it! Now where's my $50M, Apple!?!?

 

[lovewd]

Samsung failed to mention this in their commercials

 

[Haxley]

Umm the conference call actually said since fiscal 2013 not fiscal 2014. Big difference!

 

[Wiesenlooser]

This is nothing special, basically every other big company aquires smaller ones to gain innovation and talent. Youd be challenged to think of one that doesnt

 

[cocky jeremy]

Samsung failed to mention this in their commercials

They'll be buying companies with similar names sometime soon. Might not be tech companies, but they've gotta copy it as closely as they can!

 

[FieldingMellish]

Apple hosts the sales of apps by the thousands, then cherry picks specific apps to acquire as its own.

 

[inscrewtable]

Cook said that Apple is always looking at acquisition space and doesn't let "money burn a hole in our pocket."

That is not how I've always understood the expression, to me it has always indicated the complete opposite of what Cook is implying. He seems to be implying that the expression 'money burning a hole in their pocket' to mean that money sitting in their pocket is a bad thing because it's just sitting there doing nothing, being hoarded like a miser would, but Apple is not like that and is always "on the prowl" ready to spend when the opportunity is there.

However to me the expression was always used in a disparaging way, meaning that as soon as you got some money you spent it frivolously as if you had to get it out of your pocket quickly because it was burning a hole in it.

 

[SHNXX]

I don't know if acquisition is good return on investment for shareholders.

 

[ILikeAllOS]

This is perfectly normal for a company - even Apple, and I'm glad they're "on the prowl" for innovative companies to absorb into Apple so they can improve their products, which only benefits us in the long run!

People have to remember, many of what we enjoy from Apple comes from acquisitions, including Siri (Siri, Inc), Touch ID (AuthenTec), hell even OS X and iOS were created from NEXTSTEP/OPENSTEP (Next, Inc)!
If it weren't for acquisitions Apple themselves most likely wouldn't even exist today, as it is their acquisition of Next that saved the company!

As long as Apple isn't driving themselves bankrupt in the process I'm not sure how anyone could complain about these acquisitions, and with $170 billion in the bank I don't think they need to worry.

 

[thekev]

People have to remember, many of what we enjoy from Apple comes from acquisitions, including Siri (Siri, Inc), Touch ID (AuthenTec), hell even OS X and iOS were created from NEXTSTEP/OPENSTEP (Next, Inc)!
If it weren't for acquisitions Apple themselves most likely wouldn't even exist today, as it is their acquisition of Next that saved the company!

Itunes started from SoundJam. They purchased Fingerworks for some of the technology and IP that was used to implement multitouch in the iphone. There are others, but those seemed significant considering the mention of Siri.

 

[ILikeAllOS]

Itunes started from SoundJam. They purchased Fingerworks for some of the technology and IP that was used to implement multitouch in the iphone. There are others, but those seemed significant considering the mention of Siri.

Ah yes, I knew Apple acquired some company or tech relating to the multi-touch component in iOS devices I just couldn't remember the name, but yeah I just mentioned those acquisitions as they were the only ones I remembered off the top of my head!

 

[thekev]

Ah yes, I knew Apple acquired some company or tech relating to the multi-touch component in iOS devices I just couldn't remember the name, but yeah I just mentioned those acquisitions as they were the only ones I remembered off the top of my head!

Yeah I was just adding to your list. The full list is enormous. Oh and PA semi for some of the hardware design work. That was another significant buyout. For the most part they stick to small companies that integrate well. I still hate seeing those small companies disappear, but it's far better than the bloated mess of HP buying out Compaq or later on Palm buying out Handspring later to be bought out by HP and scrapped.

 

[Supermule]

I dont think a company should use a lot of there money buying up other companies. When I buy an Apple stock I want just Apple for my money. If I wanted Beats or other companies I would invest in them (or others alike) myself.
Instead Apple should payout the money to its owners - the shareholders.