According to a new report from TechCrunch, Apple has acquired Cue, an app that has similar functionality to Google Now. It provides users with contextual information via notification cards.
Originally founded as Greplin, the company would index content from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as pulling data from Gmail. For example, a single search for “Jim” would surface contacts from the user’s LinkedIn account, emails from Gmail, and documents from Dropbox.
The company transitioned in 2012 to become Cue, and offered a personal assistant application for Apple’s iOS that would automatically turn data such as flight or restaurant reservations into a daily agenda. Cue would accomplish this by collating and indexing a user’s contacts, files, and emails, then display important and timely information. The company was founded by entrepreneurs Daniel Gross and Robby Walker.
Cue was formerly run by Greg McAdoo, who was also previously associated with Bump, a company acquired by Google earlier this year for at least $30 million. McAdoo has since moved on to become a venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital.
“Personal assistant app Cue has been acquired, we’ve confirmed with a person who should know,” Alexia Tsotsis writes for TechCrunch. “The app has sold for between $40 million to $60 million, we’re hearing from two sources, including TechCrunch tips, who posit that Apple has picked up the company for over a $35 million price tag.”
According the website, Apple has provided the following statement when asked to comment on the report: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
