Apple confirms it has acquired 3D-sensor startup PrimeSense

A week after reports first emerged about Apple acquiring 3D sensor motion tracking company, PrimeSense, the Cupertino-based company has confirmed that it has indeed made the acquisition. PrimeSense is the company behind the 3D sensor in Microsoft’s original Kinect camera peripheral.

In a statement to AllThingsD, Apple’s spokesperson Kirstin Huguet gave the same prepared talk it gives after acquisitions, “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

Company behind earlier Kinect now with Apple

The deal between Apple and the Israel-based startup has been pegged at a price of $360 million, even while financial newspaper Calcalist had reported earlier in November that the iPhone maker had paid $345 million. Talks of the deal being struck had been in circulation since July this year when it was reported that Apple wanted to but the 3D-sensing company for $280 million. While PrimeSense is best known for its work with Microsoft early on for the Xbox console, the latter company is now using its homegrown sensor technology for the current generation of Kinect devices, now shipping with the Xbox One.

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PrimeSense has been working on creating smaller sensors for more compact devices over the years now too. It could be interesting to see how Apple manages to inculcate PrimeSense’s technology to its product line – existing and new. With Apple, the tech could come in handy for the rumoured Apple iWatch or the Apple TV set, we hope. 9to5Mac had earlier reported that the Cupertino-based company was “testing Xbox Kinect-like motion sensors for future TV-related products,” so we could soon see a whole new product from Apple.