Twitter just acquired a group of creators operating under the title Chroma Labs. They started their business in 2018 and quickly came to prominence with their Chroma Stories app. This app allowed users to easily create high quality "story" videos for sharing on multiple platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Twitter saw their value and moved in for the team-up.
Apple buys smaller tech companies from time to time, as its own PR would reply to inquiries. It's no that often, however, that you hear of such an acquisition causing a different company direct problems. That's exactly the strange situation behind Apple's reported purchase of Seattle-based startup Xnor.ai which is apparently the real reason why Wyze is losing a key feature of its smart security cameras.
Google has announced its acquisition of Typhoon Studios, the company behind a game called Journey to the Savage Planet. The new purchase will make Typhoon Studios part of Stadia Games and Entertainment, bolstering the company's streaming game service offerings. This acquisition won't make Journey a Stadia exclusive, thankfully.
VSCO, arguably the most notable Instagram competitor, has bought the company behind a tiny 360-degree camera called Rylo. VSCO apparently isn't interested in the 360 camera part of the equation, instead setting its sights on Rylo's work with mobile video editing technologies. Under VSCO, Rylo will ditch its camera efforts and focus solely on developing these mobile video tools.
Facebook has acquired Beat Games, the company behind hit virtual reality game Beat Saber. The acquisition will help Facebook 'bring VR to more people around the world,' the company said as part of its announcement. Beat Saber's team will join Oculus Studios as part of this deal but will independently operate in Prague. What will happen to Beat Saber? Not much, so don't worry.
Studio Ghibli made some of the most memorably anime movies in history - and their streaming rights have just been acquired by HBO Max. This is different from the regular old HBO, and does not necessarily mean that people with subscriptions to HBO Now or access to HBO GO will have access to the full Studio Ghibli collection of media. Let's take a peek at what they've made public so far.
The marriage of T-Mobile and Sprint has been years in the making and, depending on who you ask, it's either happening soon or not at all. The merger of the two carriers has been swaying this way and that but the latest rumors suggest that there is just one hurdle left and it's a big one: convincing the US Department of Justice. Fortunately for the carriers, help seems to be on the way but from the most unlikely of sources: Amazon.
Apple has reportedly acquired Tueo Health, a startup that was developing an asthma monitoring system intended for use with sleeping children. The alleged business move may have happened in late 2018, at least based on a new report citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the matter. The acquisition may hint at a future addition to Apple's own health efforts.
As a game developer and publisher itself, it's really not unusual for Epic Games to acquire smaller companies. It does become a bit curious, however, when it buys up a developer well-known for a hit title, like Psyonix, who made the unexpected wonder that is Rocket League. Things definitely take an even more interesting turn, however, when set in the frame of the buyer's bigger strategy, which includes making certain titles exclusively available on its own Epic Games Store.
Twitter has acquired Highly, a service that enables users to easily share quotes from articles on social media. In light of the acquisition, Highly plans to shut down its Slack and iOS apps later this month, though existing highlights from users will remain live. Highly was founded in 2014 and has proven fairly popular in the years it has operated.
Switzerland-based smart home company NEEO has been acquired by Control4 as part of its plan to offer next-gen interactive smart home tech, the company has announced. Control4 plans to use NEEO's expertise for its latest touch panels, remote controls, keypads, and similar devices. The acquisition follows the launch of NEEO's smart home remote control four years ago.
In the last several years, AT&T has made two huge acquisitions: DirecTV in 2015, and Time Warner in 2018. With these mergers — which were clearly anti-consumer — AT&T thought it turn itself from a telecom giant into a cable TV giant, with a near monopoly on the US's media industry. But instead of just buying itself an undeniable advantage, the company has given customers more reason to leave by attempting to cover its immense debt with price increases.