Apple Acquires Visual Effects Startup That Worked Its Magic on Star WarsAs Yoda would say, 'Strong in Apple, The Force is. Yes, hmmm.'
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
True, the rumors are. The Force is getting stronger in Apple. The Cupertino, Calif., colossus has indeed acquired a Swiss startup that played a key role in the making ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens.
Apple confirmed the acquisition ofFaceshiftlast night in a statement provided toTechCrunch.MacRumorsfirst shed light on the rumored purchase earlier this year. The Zurich-based visual effects firm specializes in real time, markerless motion capture that aims to accurately express "realistic and emotional facial expressions," in both video games and film.
Related:Star Wars + Drones = Dreams Come True
TechCrunchreports that several Faceshift employees are already logging hours for Apple from across the pond. For a look at the company's handiwork making alien life forms emote remarkably like humans in the forthcomingStar Warsinstallment, check out the GIF below.
Faceshift isn't the only European niche technology startup Apple has snapped up lately. The tech giant also recently acquired augmented reality firmMataio, facial recognition firmPolar Roseand 3-D scanning housePrimeSense.
If you're hoping to find out exactly why Apple scooped up Faceshift, and what it plans to do with its game-changing motion capture software, don't hold your breath. Per norm, Apple remains tight-lipped, reciting its standard post-acquisition line: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."
Related:What Small Business Can Learn From Force of the Star Wars Marketing Blitz
But that doesn't meanStar Warsfans can't wonder.
While we're on the subject, remember that time Apple chief design officer Jony Ivereimagined theStar Warslightsaberover drinks with director J.J. Abrams? His vision for the legendary plasma weapon would be "less precise, and just a little bit more spitty," whatever that second adjective means. Apparently Abrams was all ears, as evidenced (perhaps) in this trailer for the hotly-anticipated seventh episode in saga, which, in case you forgot, is just22 days and 14 hoursfrom blowing our minds.
