Israeli facial recognition firm RealFace bought out by Apple

Apple has reportedly acquired RealFace – an Israeli company that specializes in cybersecurity and facial recognition technology.

RealFace was established as a startup in 2014, and has developed a type of “revolutionary software” that offers users a smart biometric log-in method on mobile. On Sunday, The Times of Israel reported about these proceedings, estimating that the deal was worth “a couple of million dollars”.

Some people may know RealFace for Pickeez – an app which used the firm's facial recognition software to automatically select the best photos from a given assortment. However, at the time of writing, it looks like the app and RealFace's website no longer exist.

Apple appears to be actively on the lookout for promising Israeli tech companies, as this is Cupertino's fourth obtainment of this kind. In 2011, Tim Cook & Co. bought out flash memory manufacturer Anobit for around $400 million, followed by acquisitions of 3D sensor company PrimeSense in 2013, and camera tech firm LinX in 2015.

This latest development will only serve to further fuel the speculations around the upcoming iPhone 8. Several rumors hinted that Apple might decide to completely remove the physical home button and Touch ID with its next flagship, opting for an authentication method that involves facial recognition instead.

via MacRumors