“The gesture-technology plot has thickened in the goopiest of ways with Apple apparently buying Israel’s PrimeSense for about $350 million,” Ashlee Vance reports for Businessweek.
“PrimeSense rose to prominence alongside the release of Microsoft’s initial Kinect gaming sensor used with the Xbox console. The startup built the hardware, including a clever chip that could look out into a living room and see peoples’ body movements. Microsoft added the software and algorithms that made the Kinect really smart,” Vance reports. “But here’s the thing: Microsoft does not rely on PrimeSense anymore. The Xbox One that hit store shelves last week has a Kinect sensor based on technology that Microsoft acquired in 2010 when it bought Canesta, a rival to PrimeSense. Over the years, Canesta had earned a reputation for having some of the most sophisticated gesture-recognition technology, while PrimeSense was seen more as a savvy assembler of off-the-shelf technology. Microsoft has also acquired other gesture players such as 3DV Systems and has a mountain of intellectual property in the arena.”
Vance reports, “So to say that Apple is late to the gesture game would be something of an understatement.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Analyst: Apple’s PrimeSense acquisition sets stage for future Apple television products – November 25, 2013
For what will Apple use PrimeSense’s 3-D motion sensing tech? – November 25, 2013
Apple confirms acquisition of Israel’s PrimeSense, company behind Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect, for $350 million – November 25, 2013
Why is Apple buying the company that invented Microsoft’s Kinect? – November 18, 2013
Apple in talks to acquire PrimeSense – November 18, 2013
Apple in talks to buy Israel-based PrimeSense, company behind Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect, for $200 million – July 16, 2013
Apple’s latest patent is a game-changer for iPad – August 20, 2013
Apple partners with TV industry on ‘grand vision’ – July 18, 2013
Report: Apple could have obtained Kinect technology before Microsoft – November 5, 2010
Once again Apple is late to the game. They were late to music players, late to cell phones, late to tablets, and now late to gestures. Guess we’ll just have to live with that.
Yeah curse Apple for always being late… and then shocking the world with their take on it, taking all of the profit and showing how it’s done to the first pretenders who scramble to copy the correct model of the technology.
Yes. Apple’s very often “late tot he game”.
They were late to the game with GUIs. Xerox and others were far ahead at one time. The Mac became the de facto standard for GUI interfaces to which every other GUI is compared.
They were late to the game with color graphical systems. (I remember the old battles of “We have color!” versus “We have resolution.” of 26-29 years ago.) Then artists and content creation types that depend upon accurate color migrated to Macs.
They were late to portable computers. Then the PowerBook came out and it became the standard by which all other laptops were judged.
They were late to a “modern” operating system. Then came OS X by which all other modern OSes are compared.
They were late to personal music players. Then came the iPod, which became so ubiquitous the majority of people started using “iPod” as the generic term for a portable music player.
They were late to phones. Then came the iPhone, which changed the whole face (literally) of what a “smartphone” is!
They were late to netbooks. Then came the MacBook Air, obviating netbooks completely and leading the creation of “ultrabooks”.
They were late to tablets. Then came the iPad, which had as dramatic an effect on the nature of tablets as the iPhone did on cell phones.
And so the story goes.
If in two or three years Apple has not done anything significant with PrimeSense’s technology we can all say that Apple was too late to the game. But until then everyone should be very careful about counting Apple out. History is not on the side of those who say, “Apple’s too late to the game.”
Well I think Apple have been working on gesture technology of their own for some time judging by various patent applications so probably not a good idea to pre judge Apple’s place in this form of technology just yet. Their skills in implementation may be precisely why Apple acquired this company in fact.
Also Apple aquiring PrimeSense a matter of CYA in terms of patents that may be dicey in terms of similarity. Smart. Full speed ahead!
I’m not a gamer, but I thought this was pretty kewl-
Something to enjoy with the grandkids.
Maybe Apple is looking beyond this.
Would be entertaining.
Apple’s getting left behind.
Their only big screen effort so far is the Apple TV hobby. The infuriatingly slow and clunky UI powered by a tiny remote makes for a painful user experience.
Waiting patiently for some of these amazing new products you keep talking about Tim.
Any time…
I use my iPhone or iPad remote to operate the Apple TV. I have ripped all my 300(isn) blu rays to 1080P m4v files and stream them flawlessly through said piece of equipment. Best $100.00 piece of tech I have owned. So why don’t you crawl back into that Samsung-paid-for hole you came from and STFU.
Wait, are you saying anyone that thinks Apple TV’s UI is half baked is paid by samsung??
Utter idiocy.
My kids don’t have my iPhone when I’m in my office dickhead. It’s 6 yrs old, by now the remote *should* be a Wii-style pointing controller or voice activated.
I got a gesture for ya, right here!
I still don’t see any urgency to get in to gestures. After the novelty wore off on the Wii, how many people continue to jump around in front of their TVs like Balmer? Why would I want to wave at my TV when I can just press a button on the remote with my thumb?
Your TV won’t be able to hear you very well over the volume, maybe?
Improperly implemented, it could be a horrible thing for people who use sign language… or even people who “talk with their hands”.
I’m not really convinced about gestures as an interface method. Touch and voice are obvious and I can see the use of gestures in a noisy environment. Specific cases may be ripe for gestures but I don’t see it as a general thing. I remain to be convinced.
You’re right, it’s a neat gimmick, but not very practical. And I seriously doubt Apple bought up this company for that single use. The technology basically recognizes objects and movement in 3D space, the applications for that can be wide ranging.
Most of Apple’s latest moves have been towards context and awareness and this technology definitely fits in there.
Rather than being used as an interface for controlling something, it could just be used as method of detection; the TV sees you get up and walk out of the room and automatically pauses the movie you are watching, etc.
Apple also bought up a facial recognition company a few years ago, so they would have no problem working that into this; Your TV recognizes that YOU sat down on the couch and turns itself on and loads up your favorite channels, etc.
I’m just using a TV as an example, whether Apple actually builds one is anyone’s guess.
What about patents? They must be getting some.
The title of this story is not accurate. Apple invented gestures. So I’m confused what this story is trying to tell.
1) Define ‘gesture’ more accurately. They’re actually talking about in-air gestures. Apple already helped pioneer touch gestures.
2) Apple already has its own patents for in-air gestures.
3) What Apple needs is a technology for sensing in-air gestures. Thus PrimeSense.
4) If Microsoft dumped PrimeSense technology for older Canesta technology, then what was buying and integrating Kinect technology about? This sounds nonsensical. Something is missing here.
5) “PrimeSense was seen more as a savvy assembler of off-the-shelf technology” sounds like a rubbish comment meant to disrespect the company. Again see #4 above.
IOW: Stupid article with holes in it. Let’s see what actually happens.
One thing I’m willing to bet: Apple won’t waste in-air gesture technology on playing games. They’ll apply it to professional uses, such as overhauling the entire concept of ‘User Interface’. I am willing to be this will be fascinating.
Typo Police: “I am willing to BET this will be fascinating.”
Apple was late in the cel phone business too . . . . And?
Y’all have it all wrong.
PrimeSense is not an Apple TV play.
It is not a gesture capture play at all.
Gesturing doesn’t work in front of a TV or anything else. You look like a clown that’s all.
Apple is having such a hard time with Siri, the last thing they need to do is to aggravate it.
PrimeSense is a play for the Apple Watch. It’s a biometric play. To measure what your body is doing. PrimeSense can remotely measure your heartbeat and your pulse. Now is it beginning to make sense?
(From an insider who knows.)
Did I just say I was an insider who knows? Sorry… I meant to say “an outsider who nose.”
Many MANY friends have bought their kids an Xbox with Kinect. I’ve been taking an unofficial pole the last couple of weeks leading up to Christmas as I’m weighing the new Xbox One or the Sony PS4 for my kids’ Christmas. As of yesterday: “How much do your kids use your Xbox kinect?” ZERO! =100% Sometimes = 0% This is about 12 families. I’m ordering the PS4 tomorrow.