Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and software products. It was established in Cupertino, California, on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, and was incorporated on January 3, 1977. The company's hardware products include the Macintosh line of personal computers, the iPod line of portable media players, the iPad line of tablets, the iPhone line of smartphones, the Apple TV line of digital media players, and the Apple Watch line of smartwatches. Apple's software products include the macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS operating systems, the iTunes media player, the Safari web browser, and the iLife suite of multimedia and creativity software. , Apple is publicly known to have acquired more than 100 companies. The actual number of acquisitions is possibly larger as Apple does not reveal the majority of its acquisitions unless discovered by the press. Apple has cofounded two half-equity partnerships and purchased equity stakes in three preexisting companies. Apple has not released the financial details for the majority of its mergers and acquisitions.

Apple has tended to acquire small companies that can be easily integrated into existing company projects. For instance, Apple acquired Emagic and its professional music software, Logic Pro, in 2002. The acquisition was incorporated in the creation of the digital audio workstation software GarageBand, an integral part of the iLife software suite, and now one of the leading digital audio workstations on iOS and macOS. Apple generally discontinues the existing businesses of acquired companies.

The company made its first acquisition on March 2, 1988, with its purchase of Network Innovations. In 2013, Apple acquired thirteen companies. Apple's largest acquisition was that of Beats Electronics in August 2014 for $3 billion.

In early-May 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook said to CNBC that Apple acquires a company every two to three weeks on average, having acquired 20 to 25 companies in the past six months alone. In 2021, Cook told shareholders that Apple had "acquired nearly 100 companies" in the preceding six years.

Acquisitions

Date Company Business Country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) Derived products1 Network Innovations Software — —Data Access Language (DAL)2 Orion Network Systems Computer software — — SNA*ps3 StylewareAcquired by Apple subsidiary Claris Computer software — — AppleWorks GS, iWork, iLife4 Nashoba Systems Computer software — — FileMaker5 Coral Software Computer software — — Macintosh Common Lisp6 NeXT Unix-like hardware and software platform Mac OS X/macOS, Darwin, iOS, tvOS, watchOS, audioOS, visionOS7 Power Computing Corporation Macintosh clones —8 Xemplar Education Software —9 Raycer Graphics Computer graphic chips —10 NetSelector Internet software — — —11 Astarte-DVD Authoring SoftwareAcquired from Astarte Software — — DVD Studio Pro, iDVD12 (Q4) SoundJam MPAcquired from Casady & Greene Software — — iTunes13 Bluefish Labs Productivity software — — iWork14 bluebuzz Internet service provider (ISP) — — —15 Spruce TechnologiesAcquired from Japan Information Processing Service Graphics software DVD Studio Pro16 PowerSchool Online info systems services PowerSchool17 Nothing Real Special effects software Shake18 Zayante FireWire chips and software This figure hasn't been verified by anyone. Regardless, the actual combined price is $20,000,000 for Zayante, Silicon, and Prismo. FireWire19 Silicon Grail Corp-ChaliceAcquired from Silicon GrailOnly "acquired certain technology and patent rights" according to SEC Filing. Not the entire company. Digital effects software $20,000,000 was the total cost for "certain technology and patent rights" from Zayante, Silicon, and Prismo. Not per company, but for all three combined. Motion20 Propel Software internet and network optimization for wireless carriers — — Safari21 Prismo Graphics Special-effects titling software for film and video LiveType22 Emagic Music production software Logic Pro, GarageBand23 SchemaSoft Software — — iWork24 FingerWorks Gesture recognition company — — iOS25 Silicon Color Software — — Color26 Proximity Software — — Final Cut Server27 P.A. Semi Semiconductors Apple SoC28 Placebase Maps — — Apple Maps29 Lala.com Music streaming iCloud, iTunes Match30 Quattro Wireless Mobile advertising iAd31 Intrinsity Semiconductors Apple SoC32 Siri Voice control software — — Siri33 Gipsy Moth Studios Application Regionalization Firm iPod, iPhone, iPad34 Poly9 Web-based mapping — — Apple Maps35 Polar Rose Facial recognition iOS36 IMSense High-dynamic-range (HDR) photography — — iOS37 C3 Technologies 3D mapping Maps38 Anobit Flash memory iPod, iPhone, iPad39 Chomp App search engine App Store40 Redmatica Audio — — Logic Pro, GarageBand41 AuthenTec PC and mobile security products Touch ID42 Particle HTML5 Web app firm — — iCloud, iAd43 Novauris Technologies Speech recognition — — Siri44 OttoCat Search engine — — App Store45 WiFiSlam Indoor location Apple Maps46 Locationary Maps — — Apple Maps47 HopStop.com Maps — — Apple Maps48 Passif Semiconductor Semiconductors — — Apple SoC49 Matcha Media discovery app — — TV app for Apple TV and iOS50 Embark Maps — — Apple Maps51 AlgoTrim Mobile data compression — — iOS52 Cue Personal assistant Siri53 PrimeSense Structured-light 3D scanners Face ID, TrueDepth54 Topsy Analytics App Store, Apple Music, iTunes Store55 BroadMap Maps — — Apple Maps56 Catch.com Software — — Siri57 Acunu Database analytics — — iCloud58 SnappyLabs Photography software — — Camera59 Burstly Software testing — — TestFlight, App Store60 LuxVue Technology microLED displays — — MacBook Pro (Apple silicon), iPad Pro (5th generation)61 Spotsetter Social search engine — — Apple Maps62 Swell Music streaming Apple Music63 BookLamp Book analytics — — iBooks64 Beats Electronics Headphones, music streaming (Beats Music) 3,000,000,000 iPhone, iTunes, Apple Music65 Prss Digital magazine — —Apple News66 Dryft On-Screen Keyboard — — iOS Keyboard67 Camel Audio Audio plug-ins and sound libraries — — Logic Pro68 Semetric Music analytics Apple Music, iTunes Store69 FoundationDB Database — — iMessage Backend70 LinX Camera iPhone Camera71 Coherent Navigation GPS — — Apple Maps72 Metaio Augmented reality — — ARKit73 Mapsense Mapping visualization and data collection -30,000,000 - Apple Maps74 VocalIQ Speech technology — — Siri75 Perceptio Machine learning, Image recognition — — Face ID, Animoji, Photos76FaceshiftRealtime Motion Capture — —Animoji77EmotientEmotion recognition — —Face ID, Animoji78LearnSproutEducation technology — — Classroom iPad App79Flyby MediaAugmented reality — — ARKit80LegbaCorePlatform security — —Exposed firmware exploit in Apple computers.81TuriMachine learning Xcode, Core ML82GliimpsePersonal health info collection company — —HealthKit, CareKit, ResearchKit83TuplejumpMachine learning — — Siri, CoreML84Indoor.ioIndoor mapping and navigation — — Maps, Project Titan85Workflow Automation and scripting app — — Shortcuts86BedditSleep tracking hardware — — iOS, watchOS, Apple Watch87Lattice DataArtificial intelligence Photos88SensoMotoric InstrumentsEye tracking hardware and software — —ARKit89VrvanaAugmented reality head-mounted display ARKit90RegaindComputer vision — —Photos91init.aiMessaging assistant — —Siri92PowerbyProxiWireless charging — —iPhone, AirPower93InVisage TechnologiesQuantum dot-based image sensors — —iPhone, iPad94Pop Up ArchiveTools for searching digital spoken words — —iTunes, Apple Music95SpektralComputer vision, real-time editing Photos, iOS962018LaserlikeMachine learning — —Siri, CoreML framework 97Silk LabsArtificial Intelligence, home monitoring — — —982018Tueo HealthAsthma monitoring — — —99Silicon Valley Data ScienceData science, data engineering, analytics — —Digital Advertising100 Buddybuild Continuous integration, debugging, and testing for mobile apps. — —Xcode, TestFlight101TextureDigital magazine subscription service — —Apple News+102Akonia HolographicsLenses for augmented reality glasses — — —103ShazamMusic and Image recognition iTunes, Siri, Apple Music104Dialog Semiconductor Chip development Apple silicon106PlatoonArtist development — — —107PullStringSpeech technology — — Siri; Company also known as ToyTalk108Stamplay Backend workflow development —109Drive.aiAutonomous vehicles — — —110Intel's smartphone modem businessSmartphone modems 1,000,000,000 Apple SoC111IKinemaMotion capture — — —112Spectral EdgeLow-light photography — — iPhone113Xnor.aiEdge computing, artificial intelligence —114Scout FMPodcast A.I.———Podcasts, Apple Music, iTunes115Dark SkyWeather forecasting and app — — Weather (Apple), WeatherKit framework116VoysisArtificial intelligence/voice assistant — — Siri117NextVRVirtual reality events Apple Vision Pro118FleetsmithMobile device management — —Apple Business Essentials119MobeewavePayments startup iPhone 120CameraiAR — —Apple Vision Pro121SpacesVR startup — —Apple Vision Pro122Curious AICore AI startup — —Core ML123PrimephonicClassical music streaming service — — Apple Music Classical124AI MusicMusic production — — Apple Music125Credit Kudos incFintech 150,000,000 Apple Card126Mira LabsAugmented reality — — Apple Vision Pro127BIS RecordsRecord label — — Apple Music128DatakalabData compression and image analysis — — 129DarwinAIArtificial intelligence — —130Pixelmator TeamDigital art and photography software — —({Cite web|title="A new home for Pixelmator |url=https://www.pixelmator.com/blog/2024/11/01/a-new-home-for-pixelmator/ |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Pixelmator Blog |language=en-US})131RAC7Video game development — —Apple Arcade132IC Mask DesignAnalog integrated circuit — — —133KuzuGraph database — —134SeveranceTV Series<70,000,000 Apple Studios, Apple TV135Q.aiArtificial intelligence2,000,000,000136MotionVFXVideo editing software — —Final Cut Pro137January 2026Color.ioColor grading and photography Software — —

Stakes Date Company Business Country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) 1990General MagicEarly stage of tablet computer and cloud technologies — —Kaleida LabsAIM alliance multimedia softwareOriginally incorporated as a 50% jointly owned partnership between Apple Inc. and IBM, as a result of the 1991 AIM alliance — —Taligent Inc.AIM alliance operating system — —Akamai TechnologiesWeb site support services Acquired a 5% stake Imagination TechnologiesChip design Acquired a 3.6% stake. Increased to 9.5% in June 2009. Held 8.67% or 23 million shares as of the end of 2013. Didi ChuxingRidesharing company 1,000,000,000 GlobalstarSatellite communications — —

Divestments Date Acquirer Target company Target business Acquirer country/nationality Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) —Adobe — —84,000,000Misys Computer MaintenanceSign Express GroupMaintenance activities SCI SystemsApple Computer-ManufacturingComputers — —Pearson EducationPowerSchoolStudent information system — —Google Inc.Agnilux Inc.Information technology services — —

Significant investments in Apple Date Investor Investor country/nationality Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) Al-Waleed bin Talal Acquired a 5% stake, or 6.25 million common shares, prior to the 2000 and 2005 splits. Al-Waleed bin Talall sold the shares in 2005. Microsoft Acquired a 5% stake, or 150,000 Series A shares. Microsoft sold the shares by 2003. Grupo Carso Acquired a 3% stake, or 3.79 million common shares, prior to the 2000, 2005, and 2014 splits.

Subsidiaries of Apple Anobit Apple Energy Apple IMC Apple Sales International Apple Services Apple Worldwide Video Beats Electronics Beddit Braeburn Capital Claris International (formerly FileMaker Inc) Shazam

See also List of largest mergers and acquisitions Lists of corporate acquisitions and mergers

Notes

References Citations

Bibliography

External links – official website