Apple Purchased The Company Behind Microsot’s Xbox Kinect

Well it looks like the rumor reported on November 14th is true. Today Apple announced that they have purchased the Israel-based company, PrimeSense Ltd. Apple has not stated the purchase amount, but Israeli media are putting it at around $350 million.

This purchase could give Apple the an edge over their competition and allow them to market one of the first smart devices with 3D cameras.

Prime Sense is the company behind the 3D sensing technology originally used in Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect. The new 3D technology could have a wide spectrum of uses in the business world and everyday life. 3D sensors could be used on smart TVs and combined with voice technologies to allow you to navigate.

A few weeks before the purchase was finalized Forbes.com interviewed the Prime Sense’s Vice President of Marketing, Tal Dagan who confirmed that they were “deeply involved with a couple of projects, and, yes, I think you will see 3D capabilities in a phone or tablet in 2014.” So obviously Apple has been working on the 3D aspect for quite a while before the purchase was confirmed, maybe even before the initial rumors circulated.

The original Kinect sensing technology might have been built around PrimeSenses technology, but the new Kinect for Xbox utilizes newer technology designed by Microsoft. The new technology by the Apple competitor has been rather impressive in demonstrations. The new Kinect is supposedly so finely developed that it can detect a person’s heartbeat based upon minor change in their skin tone.

Maybe Apple has just picked up old technology that is about to be outdone by one of their biggest competitors. Their recent acquisition of Prime Sense may give them an over many of their competitors, but how long will that edge last? Unless Apple has something hot in the works they may find themselves running to keep up with the pack.

Originally posted 2013-11-25 15:56:53.