Apple did buy the mapping service company BroadMap and the note-taking app Catch in 2013.
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, recently confirmed that the company acquired 15 companies in 2013. While Apple has confirmed the names of only 10 of the acquired companies, the names of the other five companies acquired in 2013 remain a mystery.
Apple remains mum if it has acquired BroadMap and Catch but reports indicate that the company indeed bought the smaller firms this year.
BroadMap, which offers mapping service, may bring benefits for Apple to improve upon its own Maps app for both iOS as well as for OS X. A recent 9to5Mac report cites sources familiar with the acquisition and suggests that Apple acquired BroadMap in the first half of 2013.
"We have specifically heard from a source directly familiar with Apple's mergers and acquisitions process that Apple acquired BroadMap. The source says that the acquisition was mostly centered around talent, not BroadMap's technology. In addition to the information from our source, there is evidence online that Apple made the acquisition," reports 9to5Mac.
Several BroadMap executives now show their employer as Apple on their LinkedIn profile. Moreover, Daniel Perrone, the CEO of BroadMap says on his LinkedIn profile that BroadMap was acquired by a "Fortune 5″ company to "support their digital mapping efforts."
Apple is ranked at number six in the Fortune 500 list and as no other company in the top 5 has digital mapping service; it is highly likely that Apple acquired BroadMap.
In addition to BroadMap, Apple is also believed to have acquired the cross-platform note-taking app, Catch, in the recent months. The company shut down in August this year and reports suggest that most of Catch's employees are now working on iOS-related software projects at Apple.
Catch may assist Apple in several ways. Catch may be used to integrate with Siri to take down reminders and note functions, integrate with iOS/OS X Notes and Reminders apps and support Apple with mobile user-interfaces.
