In an exclusive report today, TechCrunch reveals that it has heard from multiple sources that Apple has acquired a small French startup firm called Regaind. When Apple was asked by TechCrunch to comment on the acquisition, it sort-of confirmed it (ish) in a typically tight-lipped statement, saying, “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purposes or plans.”
TechCrunch’s sources say that Apple acquired Regaind earlier in the year. The startup has been developing a computer vision API designed to analyze the content of photos. This is something that Apple’s Photos app has been able to do for the past couple of years, enabling you to search Photos for a particular key word, such as “sunset” or “dog.” The current Photos app is able to do this by analyzing your photo library while you sleep. When your device is plugged in and you’re not using it, it will be analysing your photos.
According to TechCrunch’s sources, Regaind goes even deeper with this, and can sort out the technical and aesthetic values of the photos in your library. So, for example, it can select the best shot in a group of burst mode photos. It can also hide duplicates, and can even analyze faces to determine gender, age, and emotion.
As to how Apple plans to use Regaind technology, it might be used to improve the Memories tab in Photos. Or it may already have been used as part of the new iPhone X Face ID sensor, possibly something to do with the new animoji expressions, for example.
Sources: Apple quietly acquired computer vision startup Regaind
Regaind
