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Apple has acquired SnappyLabs, a one-man app maker behind the now-discontinued SnappyCam app. The app was removed from the App Store -- along with its website and social media presence -- just before the end of the year.
According to TechCrunch, which first reported the acquisition:
Sources have since affirmed that the company was acquired by Apple, and that there was also acquisition interest “from most of the usual players”, meaning other tech giants. I don’t have details on the terms of the deal, and I’m awaiting a response from Apple, which has not confirmed the acquisition.
Back in July, SnappyCam was upgraded with new technology, detailed in a now-deleted blog post (still viewable via Archive.org), that explains how developer John Papandriopoulos was able to redesign how JPG images are compressed, allowing the iPhone to shoot full-quality burst mode photographs at significant higher frames per second than other competing technologies, including the new burst mode built into iOS 7.
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With the acquisition, it seems likely that Apple will integrate the SnappyCam technology into its native iOS and OS X camera programs and APIs. Apple added burst mode photo shooting to iOS 7, allowing iPhone 5s owners to shoot 10 photos per second at full resolution, in order to get the best shot in action scenes or with fast-moving children.
SnappyCam is no longer available for download from the App Store. Pricing and other details were not revealed, and Apple has not yet confirmed the acquisition.
Update: Apple has confirmed the acquisition to Kara Swisher at Re/code, the new home of the AllThingsD team.
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[...] developer John Papandriopoulos was able to redesign how JPG images are compressed, allowing the iPhone to shoot full-quality burst mode photographs at significant higher frames per second than other competing technologies, including the new burst mode built into iOS 7.
It's developers like John Papandriopoulos that amaze me! Effectively an army of one, John redesigned how JPG images are compressed. Incredible! While the devs at Apple overlooked the possibility of more efficient JPG compression, John used his imagination and created something outstanding! You deserve the $millions you got for this John.