Apple bought Israeli start-LinX, specializing in the development of innovative cameras for mobile devices. It is reported by MacRumors, citing informed sources. According to preliminary reports, the deal was worth $ 20 million.
The deal between the companies wrote in a Wednesday edition of The Wall Street Journal.In Apple usually does not comment on their purchases and this time in Cupertino confined phrase: "We sometimes buy smaller technology companies and usually do not say for what purpose do it". Because of this unknown and details of transactions.
According to the source, Apple expects due LinX technology to improve the quality of shooting iPhone. In June last year, the Israeli company introduced the world's first multi-aperture camera for smartphones and tablets. Camera LinX half the standard mobile counterparts, but offer better color reproduction and low noise in low light conditions.
Instead of increasing the size of the matrix, in LinX decided to improve the quality of the photos. This was achieved by replacing large sensor with multiple cameras. Optical elements of the company are arrays of two, three or four lenses. Due to this camera sensitivity in low light conditions is four times higher than competing solutions.
Technology LinX, probably will be used in one of the next generation of smart phones iPhone. In 2012, we recall, Apple bought developer AuthenTec fingerprint scanners and a year later the company's technology have been implemented in the smart phone iPhone 5s.
By the way, this is not the first purchase by Apple startups from Israel. In December 2011, the Californian giant swallowed manufacturer of flash memory Anobit . Its engineers have created a proprietary algorithm signal processing DSP, which will increase the speed and durability of flash memory such as NAND, as well as reduce the cost of its release. In November 2013 Apple bought Developer 3D-imaging systems PrimeSense , which is expected to find application in the Apple TV a new generation.