Apple Reportedly Acquires Topsy, A Social Analytics Firm

Apple has acquired social analytics firm Topsy for more than $200 million, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. One of Twitter's many certified partners, Topsy analyzes the micro-blogging service and provides insights on tweets, users, and events, then resells it to customers. The San Francisco-based company houses a massive amount of Twitter data, having recently indexed the site's complete archive of public tweets — dating back to 2006 — in an effort to make it easier for users to search through their archives.

According to the Journal, the companies would not have inked a deal without Twitter's blessing. Apple, Topsy, and Twitter did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
Cupertino offered the paper its usual comment, saying "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."
It is unclear what the companies aim to accomplish together, but Topsy's analytics could come in handy among Apple services like the iTunes media store, where certain tweeted keywords may lead to song, movie, and TV show recommendations. It may be integrated into the Siri voice assistant, which already asks for access to users' Twitter accounts, or the iAd advertising platform.
As Journal pointed out, Apple could also use its newest partner to follow social media conversation about its products, and target advertising on iTunes Radio or other platforms.

Cupertino has shied away from social networking opportunities in the past, having been burned by its iTunes Ping project, which shut down in the fall of 2012, only two years after its launch. Last summer, the tech giant was rumored to be mulling a stake in Twitter, hoping to shore up its social networking deficiencies, but a deal was never reached.
Apple chief Tim Cook recently joined Twitter, just in time for the new iPhone launch. Last week, Cupertino confirmed its purchase of Israeli 3D sensor makers PrimeSense.