Apple Acquires Israeli Firm RealFace Specializing in Facial Recognition
Apple has bought Israeli startup RealFace, a cybersecurity and machine learning firm specializing in facial recognition technology.
The Times of Israel reported on Sunday that the Tel Aviv-based company, founded in 2014, was snapped up by Apple for an estimated $2 million, while Hebrew-language Calcalist said the deal was worth "several million dollars".
RealFace's website is currently offline, but according to promotional material, the startup had developed a unique facial recognition technology that integrates artificial intelligence and "brings back human perception to digital processes". RealFace's software is said to use proprietary IP in the field of "frictionless face recognition" that allows for rapid learning from facial features.
The Israeli startup also developed a now-defunct app called Pickeez, which selected and collated a user's best photos across various platforms using the RealFace recognition software.
Demo of RealFace's face recognition software According to iPhone 8 rumors, Apple may ditch Touch ID along with the physical home button, in favor of a facial recognition-capable
front-facing 3D laser scanner, although with the RealFace acquisition coming at such a late time, it's unlikely that the any of the startup's technology will feature.
RealFace is the fourth Israel-based firm Apple is known to have acquired. In 2011 it bought flash memory maker Anobit for a reported $400 million, then in November 2013 it acquired 3D sensor company PrimeSense for an estimated $345 million. Most recently in 2015, Apple bought LinX for around $20 million.
Popular Stories
Popular Reddit app Apollo was today updated with support for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and Apollo developer Christian Selig decided to implement a fun little feature -- a "tamagotchi" for the Dynamic Island.
The app update adds a small little creature into the area above the Dynamic Island on the new iPhone models. It can be customized into a cat, dog, hedgehog, fox, or axolotl, and the ...
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have started to arrive to customers around the world. For those who have upgraded to one of the devices, we have put together a list of 10 useful settings that are worth checking out below.
Some of the settings are exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro models, while others were introduced in iOS 16 for a wider range of iPhones.
New Settings for iPhone 14 Pro...
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max owners should be aware that the iOS 16.1 beta is preventing the GPS from working properly on the devices for many users. Anyone who relies on location tracking should avoid the beta for now.
Bugs are common with beta software, but this issue affects a core function of the iPhone, prompting us to share this warning. iPhone 14 Pro users who already installed ...
Monday September 19, 2022 4:26 am PDT by
Sami FathiThe new second-generation AirPods Pro will begin arriving to customers on Friday, September 23. For customers still using the first-generation AirPods Pro or older AirPods models, there are several new features and changes you can look forward to using.
We've outlined six new significant features, changes, and improvements that the new second-generation AirPods Pro offer compared to older...
Apple plans to expand the Dynamic Island to all four iPhone 15 models released next year, according to oft-accurate display industry analyst Ross Young. The feature is currently exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In a tweet, Young said he expects the Dynamic Island to be available on the standard iPhone 15 models next year. However, he still does not expect the standard...
Following the launch of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, some early adopters of the devices have noticed that the rear camera's main lens vibrates uncontrollably when the camera is opened in apps such as Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, resulting in shaky video. The issue does not appear to affect the built-in Camera app.
The issue has been reported by users across Twitter, Reddit, Ti...
Monday September 19, 2022 6:49 am PDT by
Sami FathiApple has responded to user complaints regarding an annoying pop-up in iOS 16 that asks for user permission if an app wants to access the clipboard to paste text, images, and more.
The new prompt was added to iOS 16 as a privacy measure for users, requiring that apps ask for permission to access the clipboard, which may have sensitive data. The prompt, however, has become an annoyance for...
Chinese website Chongdiantou has tested a variety of Apple power adapters with the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, providing useful data about charging speeds and revealing which charger is the most valuable for fast charging.
The short answer is to choose Apple's 30W USB-C power adapter, which at $39 is the company's lowest-priced charger that can charge the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro ...
Sunday September 18, 2022 7:47 am PDT by
Sami FathiApple is investigating a bug that may cause iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models to freeze after customers transfer their data from an older iPhone, the company said today in an internal memo obtained by MacRumors.
In the memo, Apple says it is "aware of this issue happening and is investigating." Apple specifically says that some customers may find their new iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 ...
Top Rated Comments
While I enjoy these articles.... PLEASE stop mentioning the incredibly unlikely scenario of loss of TouchID.
Edit:
When TouchID came out; nobody was saying: "and Apple is removing the ability to use a passcode; you'll be forced to use this feature, whether it's buggy or not"- so I'm unsure why this time around everyone has glommed into this RIDICULOUS rumor, so far only postulated by a single "analyst", based here in America, that has no insider info, or ties w/ the production factories. It really reads like his personal opinion based on nothing other than that.... it's his opinion.