Apple reportedly acquires photo app developer SnappyLabs
Apple has acquired photo technology startup SnappyLabs, the one-man developer behind the SnappyCam app, according to a TechCrunch report.The popular iPhone app, which recently vanished from Apple's iTunes App Store, allows the smartphone to capture full-resolution images at 20 to 30 frames per second. The app sold for $1 at iTunes and had reportedly been a top seller in several countries.The company, which was founded and run by John Papandriopoulos, attracted acquisition interest "from most of the usual players," sources told TechCrunch. The company's Web site was recently taken down and its Twitter accounts were locked down from public view.Terms of the deal were not revealed. CNET has contacted Apple and SnappyLabs for comment and will update this report when we learn more. Apple confirmed the acquisition in a statement to Recode on Sunday. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Papandriopoulos had told Fairfax Media in September that he had been in talks with several companies about acquiring the app, and Apple was understood to be among that group."In terms of commercial interest in SnappyCam, there's been quite a bit actually, which has been great in many ways," Papandriopoulos reportedly told Fairfax Media, adding that there was a "spectrum" of Bay Area companies showing interest. "There are a lot of big ones, Internet giants as you like to say, and I've spoken to several of those as well as some smaller companies."Update, January 5 at 9:30 a.m. PT: Notes Apple confirmation.
