Apple recently acquired its third machine learning company since 2015, the purchase of the India-based company, Tuplejump. Tuplejump focuses on simplifying data management techniques and the creation of tools to make dealing with large amounts of data easier.
An excerpt from the now defunct website Tuplejump:
A few years ago, people realized that the volume of data that companies generate was becoming unwieldy. A new set of technologies to handle this huge amount of data emerged. We were one of the first to adopt these 'big-data' technologies. Fortune 500 companies help adopt these technologies quickly and we realized how complicated it was getting and how much simpler it could get.
Thus began our quest to simplify data management technologies and make them extremely easy to use. We are building technology that is easy to use, scalable, and will allow people to ask tough questions in large databases.
According to TechCrunch, Apple bought Tuplejump for "FiloDB" an open source project designed to use machine learning concepts and analytics on massive amounts of data and in real time. It looks like FiloDB will continue as an open source project.
Apple confirmed the acquisition of Tuplejump with a routine statement: “Apple buys smaller tech companies from time to time, and they usually don't discuss our purpose or our plans.
Other recent machine learning acquisitions include Perceptio and Turi. Apple is employing machine learning techniques throughout its operating system, the use of technology for features like facial recognition in photos, the new "Portrait" mode on the iPhone 7 Plus, major Siri enhancements, and more.