Apple Reportedly Acquired Israeli Photography Startup Camerai Last Year - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Reportedly Acquired Israeli Photography Startup Camerai Last Year

Apple quietly acquired Israeli photography startup Camerai around a year and a half ago for several tens of millions of dollars, with many of its employees joining Apple's computer vision team in Israel, according to Calcalist. A separate source confirmed the story to TechCrunch, but Apple has yet to offer an official statement.

camerai
The report claims that Camerai developed photography-related technologies, including advanced capabilities in deep learning and computer vision, that have already become "a significant part of every Apple camera" and "made life easier for developers who wanted to include AR capabilities in their various apps."

TechCrunch listed some of these technologies:

Its tech included the ability to detect different objects in the picture, and outline them with precision to alter them cosmetically; the ability to outline and apply filters across the whole image; a "skeleton tracking" neural network API that could detect and draw body joints in real time overlaid on a picture of a human; and its own version of selective focus for enhanced portrait modes…

Originally named Tipit, the company was founded in 2014 by Aaron Wetzler, Erez Tal, Jonathan Rimon, and Moty Kosharovsky.

Popular Stories

series6leds

Apple Acquires Startup Working on 'Breakthrough Sensing Technology'

Tuesday September 8, 2026 7:15 am PDT by
Earlier this year, Apple acquired California-based startup Sonera, according to a notice published today on the European Commission's website. Sonera previously announced that it had developed "breakthrough sensing technology" that "non-invasively measures magnetic fields" generated by the brain and body. The company said its technology can analyze neural data without direct skin contact,...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners

Sunday September 20, 2026 7:24 pm PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and the settlement website is now live. Apple will pay an estimated $25 per eligible iPhone to eligible customers, who can submit a claim via the settlement website between September 21 and December 21 of this year. The exact payment may be higher or lower than $25 depending on the...
iphone 18 pro max prepare

iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping

Friday September 18, 2026 4:27 pm PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity over 20 watt-hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max needs to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity has to be limited through firmware. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses an "innovative battery-firmware solution" that limits battery capacity to below 20Wh between when the...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
80 months ago

Its tech included the ability to detect different objects in the picture, and … a "skeleton tracking" neural network API that could detect and draw body joints in real time …
This is pretty awesome—not only for realtime VFX in video, but for its use in AR too.

Apple has made a big deal before about each one of its breakthrough devices (the Mac, iPod, and iPhone) having a unique input method that makes them incredibly easy to use (the mouse, clickwheel, and multitouch).

If Apple is going to produce their own AR/VR device, the most seamless input method for casual use is reaching out and touching UI elements without any additional hardware.

It seems like pulling that off would be computationally intensive, but depending on how Apple stacks image filters, it could actually be relatively easy:
[LIST=1]
* A normal RGB camera could constantly be searching for any landmarks indicating a pointing gesture.
* Only once that gesture is recognized, algorithms like the ones owned by this company could try to see if the hand making the gesture belongs to the person wearing the AR device.
* Only once it's determined that the person pointing is wearing the device, LiDAR could search for a change in depth around the finger, indicating a tap in midair. (Kinda like that IR patent from a while ago but with z-distance instead of heat.)



Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cavi Avatar
80 months ago

If (ONLY) several tens of millions of U.S. ? dollars, then it was probably just the four named guys.

Sounds like $5M-$7.5M USD each, which is pretty good Coin if living in Israel.
I will sign for 5 to 7.5 million US$ everywhere in the world 😄
Just for you to know, Israel is a very expensive country to live in, especially Tel Aviv which is one of the most expensive cities in the world 🤦🏻‍♂️
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
1 hour ago
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
2 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
11 hours ago
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
11 hours ago
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
12 hours ago
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
14 hours ago
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
16 hours ago
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
16 hours ago
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
16 hours ago
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
16 hours ago
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
17 hours ago
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
17 hours ago
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
18 hours ago
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
18 hours ago
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
18 hours ago
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
20 hours ago
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
20 hours ago
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
20 hours ago
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
21 hours ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
21 hours ago
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
22 hours ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
1 day ago
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
1 day ago
Apple Fitness+ Layoffs Reported Ahead of Potential 'Major' Changes
Apple Fitness+ Layoffs Reported Ahead of Potential 'Major' Changes
1 day ago
A Shorter Apple Pencil Was Supposed to Launch Alongside iPhone Duo
A Shorter Apple Pencil Was Supposed to Launch Alongside iPhone Duo
1 day ago
Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners
Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners
1 day ago
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
3 days ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
3 days ago
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
3 days ago
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
3 days ago