Apple appears to have made another move to improve its Maps service and apps, as it has made another low key acquisition, this time it has grabbed up Coherent Navigation, a high-accuracy GPS device and software firm.
Coherent Navigation co-founders Paul Lego, William Bencze, and Brett Ledvina have all joined Apple in recent weeks, and the company’s domain name has been redirected to Apple’s network. The changes were first noted by MacRumors.
In Lego’s LinkedIn profile, he lists himself as a member of Apple’s Maps team, while Bencze’s and Ledvina’s profiles indicate they now hold positions in location technologies. While no official announcement has been made, it appears Apple is looking to improve the accuracy of its GPS-based location services.
Coherent specializes in highly precise GPS, combining standard GPS data with other data, obtained form the Iridium satellite communications grid. The company has made devices for civilian use, as well as being involved in various U.S. government projects.
Apple is reported to be overhauling its Maps service, and precise location data would be a big part of any such project. Apple will likely unveil an updated Maps app as a part of iOS 9, due to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference, starting June 8.
An Apple spokesperson has given the company’s standard confirmation statement to The New York Times: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” No other information regarding the deal has been released.
