There Are More Rumors That Apple Is Buying The Israeli Startup That Helped Make Microsoft's Xbox Kinect Sensor
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Apple CEO Tim Cook
Reports are circulating again that Apple has bought an Israeli company called PrimeSense for $345 million and will announce the deal in the coming weeks.
The news comes from Israeli financial news site Calcalist.
PrimeSense makes 3D sensors that allow you to control computers and other devices by waving your hands around.
Calcalist reports that the deal was supposed to be signed and announced at the beginning of the month, but got bogged down by legal issues with some of PrimeSense's developer partners. It's unclear who those partners are, but PrimeSense is the technology that originally powered Microsoft Kinect. However, Microsoft has also been developing all kinds of 3D gesture tech of its own via its massive R&D labs. Plus, in 2011, it bought a competitor to PrimeSense called Canesta.
PrimeSense sent Business Insider a statement that is somewhat of a denial, calliing the deal is a recycled rumor.
"PrimeSense is the leading 3D technology in the market. We are focused on building a prosperous company while bringing 3D sensing and Natural Interaction to the mass market in a variety of markets such as interactive living room and mobile devices. We do not comment on what any of our partners, customers or potential customers are doing and we do not relate to rumors or recycled rumors."
That's because this is the second time this year that rumors circulated that Apple had bought PrimeSense. Calcalist reported back in July that a deal valued between $280 million and $300 million was about to close. It said the company had several suitors including Apple, Samsung and Sony.
So we'll see if the deal actually materializes this time and is acknowledged by the companies.
Apple reportedly wants PrimeSense for its living TV interface products but 9to5Mac points out that Apple also has patents on its own 3D gesture tech.
We reached out to Apple for comment.
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