Apple has reportedly bought a digital creative consultancy called Particle, which specialises in web applications and marketing using HTML5.
According to CNET, the Apple deal with the San Francisco, California, start-up happened a month ago. It said not all of Particle’s employees have stayed on to work at Apple.
As for Particle, it was set up in 2008 and singer and actor Justin Timberlake is one of its lead investors.
The company describes itself as a growing professional services business that specialises in “creative concept work, visual and user experience design and technical implementation”.
Particle said it has worked with companies such as Google, Sony and Motorola on design projects and on their HTML5 strategies.
Here’s what Particle has to say about HTML5: “HTML5 and the WebKit rendering engine already drive the web experience on devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Android, but are increasingly becoming the lowest common denomination on the desktop web in next-generation browsers like Google’s Chrome, and Apple’s Safari.
“Particle has chosen to focus on this technology so intensely because we believe it will soon be the rendering engine that powers a new universe of lightweight and embedded applications, from set-top boxes to game consoles to Chrome OS and Android devices to portable telephony and media devices of all kinds.”
So far, neither Apple nor Particle has issued statements on the reported acquisition.
