Following confirmation Apple had purchased the motion tracking company PrimeSense 3D, many observers assumed the tech would be deployed in its long-rumoured flatscreen iTV set.
However, as much sense as that seems to make, it's not the reason Apple handed over a reported $360m (around £222m, AU$394) according to well-connected former Washington Post tech scribe Jessica Lessin.
Lessin's industry sources tell her Apple wants to use PrimeSense's chips to spearhead a 3D indoor mapping drive, something Matterport, a company which makes 3D room scanners is already doing.
Earlier this year Apple also acquired indoor mapping company WiFiSlam, so the two start-ups together could form a potent combination if Apple seeks to battle Google in this relatively new arena.
Falling behind since Kinect?
So what of all that gesture-controlled Apple iTV talk then? Surely the company that helped produce the first Kinect sensor would be perfect for Apple's rumoured needs in this department.
Well according to Lessin's report, PrimeSense has fallen "a little behind" in this department, which is held up somewhat by Microsoft going it alone for the second Kinect module for the Xbox One.
As for Apple iTV with motion controls? Well as recent speculation has suggested we could be waiting quite a while.
"As for the endless anticipation around an Apple television, I continue to hear that the company is more interested in set-top boxes for now and that some early prototypes haven't had motion technology."
Via SlashGear
