Apple acquires Shazam
Apple has bought Shazam, the maker of a song-recognition app that Apple’s digital assistant Siri has already been using to help people identify the music playing on their iPhones.
The companies didn’t disclose the price of the acquisition.
Technology news site Recode previously reported Apple was paying about US$400 million
(NZ$578 million) for Shazam, citing three unidentified people familiar with the deal.
Apple issued a statement describing Shazam as a ‘‘natural fit’' with its services.
‘‘We have exciting plans in store, and we look forward to combining with Shazam.’’
Apple declined to say whether Shazam’s app will still be available after the deal closes.
Some of Shazam’s features conceivably could be blended into Apple’s music streaming services.
Siri began drawing upon Shazam’s technology to answer questions about songs as part of a
2014 update to the iPhone’s operating system.
The Shazam deal marks Apple’s biggest acquisition in music since paying US$3 billion for Beats Electronics’ line of headphones and music service in 2014.
Digital services have been playing an increasingly important role for Apple as the sales of iPhones – the company’s main moneymaker – have slowed.
Software and other services generated US$30b in revenue during Apple’s last financial year, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year.
Shazam was founded in 2002 and made one of the first apps for the iPhone.
It has about 250 employees working at its London headquarters and seven other offices in the US, Australia and Germany.
Digital services have been playing an increasingly important role for Apple as the sales of iPhones – the company's main moneymaker – have slowed.