Apple quietly acquired WaveOne, a startup that worked on AI algorithms for video compression, for an undisclosed sum.
Former WaveOne executive Bob Stankosh confirmed that the company was sold to Apple earlier this year.
WaveOne's research focused on a machine learning algorithm for "content-aware" video compression and decompression.
- The company used object and scene detection to understand the content in each video frame and prioritize certain elements, such as human faces, over others.
- It's expected that Apple will utilize the technology to make its streaming services more efficient, saving on bandwidth costs and/or delivering higher framerates and resolutions for certain content.
- While Apple has yet to confirm the deal, it appears that WaveOne's co-founder and several of its employees are now working within Apple's machine learning teams.
- Prior to the takeover, WaveOne had raised $9M from investors, including Khosla Ventures, Vela Partners, and Blue Ivy.
