Apple Likely Acquired Cloud-Based Music Provider Omnifone [Updated]

One of Apple's latest acquisitions appears to be cloud-based music provider and Omnifone, according to an inside source that shared knowledge of the purchase with MacRumors. Earlier this month, a Music Ally report suggested UK-based Omnifone's tech business and assets had been purchased by a mystery buyer for $10 million, and it seems that buyer is Apple.

According to documents covering the sale, Omnifone's alluring patent portfolio was not purchased by Apple, nor were debts or investments, but terms included a "royalty bearing license" that Omnifone says will help it determine the value of its full range of patents. Omnifone has a number of patents relating to downloading music, digital rights management, and generating recommendations that are potentially appealing to streaming music companies.

omnifone
Omnifone operated a cloud platform powering its own MusicStation service and serving as the backbone for music services launched through partnerships with mobile carriers like LG, Samsung, Vodafone, BlackBerry, Sony, and more.

Omnifone, for example, powered Samsung's Milk music service in certain locations and it was licensed by PonoMusic to power the PonoMusic Store, which is temporarily unavailable as of today following Apple's purchase of Omnifone. Following its acquisition, Omnifone has abruptly ended all of its partnerships.

One of our key infrastructure partners - Omnifone - has recently been acquired by a large company. An impact of this purchase is that all Omnifone's supply relationships are being terminated, effectively immediately. Omnifone has been the exclusive content provider for PonoMusic.

Omnifone was placed into administration in May after it became clear the company could no longer pay its debts following the loss of clients like Sony and BlackBerry when Music Unlimited and BBM Music were shuttered. A total of 71 staff members were laid off as it sought a buyer for its technology assets.

Apple was believed to be interested in Omnifone's assets early on, with sources in May telling Music Ally Apple would make the purchase.

Update: The Loop's Jim Dalrymple says that according to his sources, Apple did not purchase Omnifone.

Popular Stories

App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Says It Doesn't Approve of EU Porn App

Monday February 3, 2025 1:15 pm PST by
Apple does not approve of the "Hot Tub" pornography app that was released for the iPhone in the EU using alternative app distribution, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. Further, Apple is concerned about the potential user safety risks with a pornography app, and says that it undermines consumer trust in the Apple ecosystem. We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
General Apple Invites Feature

Apple Launches New 'Invites' App

Tuesday February 4, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple today announced the launch of a new app called "Invites," which is designed to allow users to plan events like birthday parties, graduations, vacations, baby showers, and more. "With Apple Invites, an event comes to life from the moment the invitation is created, and users can share lasting memories even after they get together," said Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple's senior director of...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Raises Monthly AppleCare+ Subscription Price for All iPhones

Tuesday February 4, 2025 9:35 am PST by
Apple this week increased the prices for its monthly AppleCare+ subscription prices for the iPhone, raising the cost by 50 cents for all models in the United States. Standard AppleCare+ for the iPhone 16 models is now priced at $10.49 per month, for example, up from the prior $9.99 per month price. The 50 cent price increase applies to all available AppleCare+ plans for Apple's current...
iCloud General Feature Redux

'Apple Invites' Leaked on iCloud Website

Tuesday February 4, 2025 7:11 am PST by
Update: The new Apple Invites app has officially been announced. The main iCloud.com page has seemingly confirmed Apple's rumored invites tool, which has yet to be officially announced by the company. The page says "Apple Invites" will be an iCloud+ feature:Upgrade to iCloud+ to get more storage, plan events with Apple Invites, and have peace of mind with privacy features like iCloud...
apple power beats pro 2

Apple Expected to Announce Powerbeats Pro 2 on February 11 With These New Features

Sunday February 2, 2025 6:15 am PST by
Apple previously teased that Powerbeats Pro 2 would be released in 2025, and now an announcement date has leaked. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said Apple plans to unveil the wireless earbuds on Tuesday, February 11. Powerbeats Pro 2 will be priced at $250 in the U.S., he said. Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks...
maxresdefault

Testing Apple's New Invites App for Event Planning

Tuesday February 4, 2025 10:26 am PST by
Apple today surprised us with a new Invites app, which is designed for planning events like birthday parties, vacations, and baby showers. We checked it out in our latest video to see how it works, what you can use it for, and to demonstrate all of the different features in the app. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Invites is a standalone app that you can download...

Top Rated Comments

Dilster3k Avatar
112 months ago
That moment you can't make $^#t anymore and resort to buying junk like Beats, etc. & this, to keep the train wreck going.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
112 months ago
That moment you can't make $^#t anymore and resort to buying junk like Beats, etc. & this, to keep the train wreck going.
Beats was an excellent acquisition, at the right price.

The "train wreck" will be market leader by 2018.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArcaneDevice Avatar
112 months ago
That moment you can't make $^#t anymore and resort to buying junk like Beats, etc. & this, to keep the train wreck going.
Apple has always done this. The first iTunes was software from another company they purchased and rebranded.

Apple users tend to forget that a lot of Apple software since the return of Jobs has been the result of buying ideas from other companies.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
112 months ago
Jim Dalrymple says no.

http://www.loopinsight.com/2016/07/20/apple-did-not-buy-cloud-based-music-provider-omnifone/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hlfway2anywhere Avatar
112 months ago
All I want are collaborative playlists and browser-based access to my music.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
112 months ago
Apple has always done this. The first iTunes was software from another company they purchased and rebranded.

Apple users tend to forget that a lot of Apple software since the return of Jobs has been the result of buying ideas from other companies.
Exactly. And it's not just Apple. Lots of companies do this.

Some of the biggest software/service products we use today came from somewhere else.

Google acquired at least 8 companies to make Google Maps, for instance.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)