Social Analytics Firm Topsy Shut Down by Apple Two Years After Purchase - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Social Analytics Firm Topsy Shut Down by Apple Two Years After Purchase

by

twitter-profile-imageTwo years after being purchased by Apple for $200 million, social analytics firm Topsy today announced the end of its service. On Twitter, the company tweeted that it has "searched [its] last tweet." Additionally, its website redirects to an Apple support page on using Search on iPhone.

Topsy partnered with Twitter to maintain an index of tweets going back to 2006. However, the company also made products to search and analyze social networks. It's likely Apple has used Topsy's talent and technology to imbue its products with enhanced search features. iOS 9, for example, debuted a new Proactive feature that uses data from Siri, Calendar, third-party apps and more to deliver more relevant search results to users.

Top Rated Comments

dearfriendx Avatar
dearfriendx
136 months ago
I am so tired of giant financial entities buying up innovative little companies and killing them, whether it's beats or Songza or Rdio or Grand Central, or WordPerfect or my little local bank or gas station, and then keeping alive only those bits that are good for screwing me out of as much money as possible. Oligopoly sucks.
It's not like those innovative little companies don't have a choice…lol. They want the money
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
Aston441
136 months ago
I am so tired of giant financial entities buying up innovative little companies and killing them, whether it's beats or Songza or Rdio or Grand Central, or WordPerfect or my little local bank or gas station, and then keeping alive only those bits that are good for screwing me out of as much money as possible. Oligopoly sucks.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
mijail
136 months ago
Oh I get that. But I don't have to like it. Congress has been remiss in its job for decades in not doing something about the oligopoly problem. No significant anti trust legislation has been in passed since the 1800s. That's pathetic, and anti-capitalist, for our supposedly capitalist country.
Maybe you are not understanding the point. Those small guys you liked so much - they like money, that's why they sold off. And that's what capitalism is all about. Oligopoly is a side effect, if anything. You are seeing the system working.

So, it rather sounds like you don't like the system working, and want the government to step in and stop capitalism. Is that it?

(I'd be okey with that, I am just curious about this apparent mismatch between what you say to like and what you say to want)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
Pakaku
136 months ago
They bought a social-analytical service and they were still out of touch with their customers? Welp.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmh600cbr Avatar
jmh600cbr
136 months ago
thats odd? why would a huge company buy a small company and then close it without integrating those things into its broader product line? like whats the deal with mailbox closing? does it really cost db that much to keep it open
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Read Full Article
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
Read Full Article