Report: Apple Acquired Mapping Company Poly9

Apple has reportedly acquired a Canadian mapping company, Poly9.

The company, which is based in Quebec, creates browser-based 3D software, according to a story from French-Canadian site cyberpresse.ca and later reported by AppleInsider.

Many of Poly9's employees have been moved to Apple's Cupertino headquarters, the publication said. The Poly9 Web site is no longer live.

One of the company's products is the Poly9 Globe, which a cached version of the site described as "a cross-browser, cross-platform 3D globe which does not require any download." It provides comprehensive satellite imagery, including high-resolution imagery for U.S. cities.

The purchase is the second maps-related buy for Apple. Last year, the company reportedly purchased Placebase, which produces maps that can be layered with private, public, or commercial data.

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Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

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I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

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Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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