Home / Technology / Apple Acquires Huxe Team and Tech
Apple Acquires Huxe Team and Tech
11 Oct
Summary
- Apple is acquiring personalized audio startup Huxe's team and technology.
- This deal is structured as a reverse acqui-hire, not a full acquisition.
- Huxe announced its shutdown on May 21, with Apple filing the deal June 9.
Apple has reached an agreement to integrate the team and technology of personalized audio startup Huxe through a reverse acqui-hire. This regulatory filing with the European Commission indicates Apple will extend employment offers to certain Huxe AI employees and obtain a non-exclusive license for Huxe's intellectual property. This structure allows larger companies to acquire specialized talent and technology without a full startup acquisition, potentially reducing antitrust scrutiny.
Huxe, founded by developers with previous experience in AI podcast features, announced on May 21 that it would cease operations. The company confirmed the removal of its app from major stores and the deletion of user data, stating the team was moving on to new endeavors. Shortly after Huxe's announcement, Apple disclosed its deal on June 9.
The specifics of the employment offers, acceptance rates, and Apple's future plans for Huxe's technology remain undisclosed. This development follows Spotify's recent unveiling of AI-powered podcast features, suggesting Apple might be aiming to enhance its own Podcasts app with similar personalized audio capabilities.
