Scots audio firm linked to historic takeover by Apple

AN EDINBURGH audio company with just nine employees has reportedly become the first ever Scottish company to be bought up by software giant Apple.

Camel Audio sparked speculation online when it emerged that its business address had been updated to 100 New Bridge Street, the address of Apple’s London headquarters.

The company’s sole director is now listed as Apple lawyer Heather Joy Morrison and the Camel Audio website has also been stripped bare.

It comes after the specialist firm, known for its award-winning range of plug-ins, synthesisers, effects, and sound libraries available via its Alchemy software, announced it was ceasing to trade.

It shut its doors on January 8, removing all access to its software from its website. At the time, the company did not divulge why it had suddenly ceased selling its content, but Camel Audio fans speculated about a potential takeover.

In a statement, Camel Audio said: “We would like to thank you for the support we’ve received over the years in our efforts to create instruments and effects plug-ins and sound libraries. Camel Audio’s plug-ins, Alchemy Mobile IAPs and sound libraries are no longer available for purchase.

“We will continue to provide downloads of your previous purchases and email support until July 7, 2015. We recommend you download all of your purchases and back them up so that you can continue to use them.”

Camel Audio was founded in 2000 by computer science graduate Ben Gillett, who revealed that he learned how to programme on a clunky BBC computer.

He said: “My mum was a teacher and she brought a BBC computer home from school in the holidays, so when I was five I started to learn to program in BASIC. When I was 10 I taught myself C, because I wanted to be able to create 3D graphics. I loved being able to think something up and then create it.

“I carried on through my teenage years – reading computer programming manuals and staying up late programming – as a consequence I wasn’t a very cool teenager.”

He went on to study computer science and artificial intelligence, before completing a postgraduate degree in speech synthesis which had a significant influence on his work at Camel Audio.