Apple 'pays $200m' for Twitter-focused Topsy

Apple 'pays $200m' for Twitter-focused Topsy

Apple's deal for Topsy, which specialises in analysing Twitter data, is an unusual move for the iPhone maker

Apple has made a rare move into social media by buying Twitter-focused analysis company Topsy.
The iPhone maker refused to reveal why it bought the start-up, which studies trends on Twitter to provide its clients with insights into users’ sentiments.

Apple paid more than $200m to complete the deal, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said.

The technology giant’s main effort in social media has revolved around Ping, a music-centred social sharing network that was at one point integrated into its iTunes app.

The service, which let users post music tracks they liked to a newsfeed, failed to catch on and was shut down.

However, Apple has been trying to make it easier for its customers to share photos, videos and news through its devices and directly to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

The Topsy purchase is Apple’s second deal in less than a week, after it snapped up PrimeSense, an Israeli company that invented the 3D sensing technology in Xbox’s Kinect device.

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