Since the Cupertino, California-based company launched its Apple Music streaming music service at the end of June last year, efforts to improve it both internally and in terms of the user interface have not ceased. In fact, the numerous criticisms it received referring to its unfriendly interface led to a complete renovation coinciding with the launch of iOS 10 last September.
But internally, Apple has also greatly improved the way Apple Music works by reinforcing the "artificial intelligence" that makes it easier for users to find the music they want or discover new songs and artists. The new smart playlists, based on user habits, are a good example of this. But the company knows that there is still a lot of work ahead if they really want Apple Music to become the number one streaming music services ahead of Spotify. And if for this you have to buy other technologies and hire employees from other companies, then you buy and hire them. This is precisely what you just did with Omnifone.
Omnifone, an acquisition that still offers loopholes
As published by the website specialized in technological matters TechCrunch, only a few months ago that Apple acquired technology from the Omnifone platform which is based on cloud music or streaming music. Also, since then the company of the bitten apple has also increased its workforce with the hiring of a good number of Omnifone employees connoisseurs of this technology that is now in their possession.
The first rumors about Apple's interest in Omnifone appeared last July, however, it was not until now that the acquisition could be confirmed.
As can be seen in various profiles of the professional social network LinkedIN, at least sixteen Omnifone employees now work for Apple. All of them continue to do so from the United Kingdom, mainly in its capital, London. To make this discovery (and this will serve you for future searches) it is enough to filter the results on LinkedIN establishing Apple as "current company" and as " Previous Company »Omnifocus. The result is quite obvious:
Some of the former Omnifocus employees who are now working for Apple following the alleged acquisition of their cloud music technology
Many of Omnifone's former employees now work as software engineers at Apple, presumably focusing on areas like iTunes and Apple Music. It's unclear what technology Apple bought from Omnifone, but the TechCrunch source believes that Some of what was purchased has already been incorporated into Apple Music and iTunes.
In addition, that unidentified source who spoke with TechCrunch claims that Apple bought the "select technology" from Omnifone. However, this is not a complete purchase by Apple as long as Omnifocus 'portfolio of patents would remain in Omnifocus' hands, and not Apple, always according to the version provided by this source to TechCrunch.
In fact, it was speculated that Apple 'bought' or 'probably acquired' Omnifone's key assets in July this year, after a report by Omnifone's bankruptcy administrators noted that a buyer had been found for parts of the company for 10 million dollars. The rumor at the time was that the buyer was Apple. However, those takeover reports were discredited fairly quickly.
But fast-forward just a month later, and it seems that at least parts of it were true.
The Omnifone company created a cloud platform that powers its own MusicStation service and serves as the backbone for various music services launched through different partnerships with mobile phone companies, including manufacturers and operators such as LG, Samsung. , Vodafone, BlackBerry, Sony and others.
Omnifone, for example, boosted Samsung Milk's now-defunct music service in certain places and was responsible for feeding music from the company of the same name, PonoMusic Store.
For the moment, Apple has neither confirmed nor denied this information, so we still have to consider it in the air.