Apple May Have Acquired Motion Capture Company IKinema [Update: Confirmed]

Apple may have recently acquired UK-based motion capture company IKinema, based on evidence from company filings and information shared by a MacRumors reader.

IKinema offers animation technology that's used for games, virtual reality, and more. Earlier this year, for example, IKinema partnered with Ubisoft for IKinema's RunTime software for character creation. IKinema specialized in technology that allowed for real-time motion animation of virtual characters.

ikinema1

IKINEMA's technology is embraced by development teams the world over to bring their games to life through delivery of high fidelity results in natural character locomotion and greater player immersion within dynamic game worlds, including substantial cost reduction and accelerated production levels by a factor of five times or more to expedite the release of games to market.

Based on details from IKinema's mostly defunct website, the company considers itself a specialist in real-time procedural animation and whole body solving technology. IKinema has several videos on YouTube showing off its technology creating animated characters from real-life people, dogs, and more.


According to a document filed with the UK government, Apple lawyer Peter Denwood, who handles Apple's international affairs, was named the director of IKinema on September 12, 2019, with his address listed as One Apple Park Way.

ikinemaapplelawyer
The address of the company was also updated to 100 New Bridge Street in London on September 26, which is the address for Apple Europe Limited.

ikinemaaddress
The IKinema website is no longer functional with the exception of a few technical documents, and the company's Twitter and Facebook accounts stopped being updated on August 19. MacRumors reader Peter, who is in the industry, told MacRumors that IKinema customers have been left in the dark "for weeks" and that the acquisition was confirmed in a private Facebook Motion Capture group this morning.

ikinema2
It's not clear what Apple will do with IKinema's technology, but Apple has delved into games with Apple Arcade, though the company does not develop its own game technology at this time.

Apple is also rumored to be working on various virtual and augmented reality projects, which could potentially benefit from IKinema's software, as could Animoji and Memoji, which animate based on facial expressions using the TrueDepth camera system.

Update October 4 7:55 a.m.: Apple has confirmed its acquisition of IKinema, giving Tim Bradshaw of Financial Times the company's usual boilerplate statement: "Apple buys smaller companies from time to time, and we generally don't discuss our purpose or plans."

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details

Monday December 15, 2025 9:09 am PST by
The first foldable iPhone will feature a series of design and hardware firsts for Apple, according to details shared by the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station. According to a new post, via machine translation, Apple is developing what the leaker describes as a "wide foldable" device, a term used to refer to a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display....
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...

Top Rated Comments

keysofanxiety Avatar
81 months ago

One of these days, Apple will acquire IKEA, and rename it iKea. The prices of everything they sell will skyrocket, but on the plus size, the furniture and housewares will get thinner and thinner.

The Apple iTorp 3S+ sofa group will have a triple-lens camera system, and be only a foot wide. Will make it tough to sit on, and as it will be made mostly of glass, it will be fairly fragile, but GOD will it take fantastic selfies, even in low light! AND it will be able to connect wirelessly to the internet!

Only $4,278.95 with 6GB of CLSDDR4 RAM... (Chaise Lounge Sofa Double Data Rate 4th generation Random Access Memory,) and 32GB storage for the base model. Of course, what Apple won’t tell you is that furnitureOS takes 28GB of storage to work. Never mind why a SOFA needs RAM...

I could be wrong, but it would be really funny. The alternative is that IKEA gets a BUNCH of money from somewhere and buys Apple. The next year, they announce the new iPhøn, which you have to assemble yourself from 178 individual parts, and the instructions are of course, almost free of words, just pictographs showing someone with REALLY tiny hands putting things together, and the obligatory sketch of someone with GIANT hands, (by which I mean regular-sized hands,) on a frustrated person, unable to even pick up or hold the tiny bits, smiling while calling customer service for help, and customer service sending a tiny little pixie of a person in a blue-striped, yellow colored IKEA uniform, over to assist the customer.

For a fee, of course.
That was a lot of effort for very little reward.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kanki1985 Avatar
81 months ago
That would make an amazing addition to the animoji team!! Well done Apple!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
81 months ago

PowerBeats Pro are pretty slick. Other than those and the W1 chip, Apple hasn’t really done much with Beats. Oh and Apple Music / Beats Radio.
I just bought ones, they’re pretty good, Im a freelancer developer, they’re great for taking calls and for switching between iPhone/Mac, I can be making lunch or dinner, skip songs, call someone throw siri, without using my hands and with the phone charging upstairs. It’s not perfect and not exactly cheap but they’re great nonetheless.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Khedron Avatar
81 months ago
Petmoji confirmed
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
halluxsinister Avatar
81 months ago

('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/03/apple-acquisition-ikinema/')


Apple may have recently acquired UK-based motion capture company IKinema ('https://www.ikinema.com'), based on evidence from company filings and information shared by a MacRumors reader.

IKinema offers animation technology that's used for games, virtual reality, and more. Earlier this year, for example, IKinema partnered with ('https://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/346338/IKINEMA_powers_Ubisoft_to_deliver_immersive_and_believable_games_faster.php') Ubisoft for IKinema's RunTime software for character creation. IKinema specialized in technology that allowed for real-time motion animation of virtual characters.


Based on details ('https://www.ikinema.com/docs/index.html') from IKinema's mostly defunct website, the company considers itself a specialist in real-time procedural animation and whole body solving technology. IKinema has several videos on YouTube showing off its technology creating animated characters from real-life people, dogs, and more.



According to a document filed with the UK government, Apple lawyer Peter Denwood ('https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-denwood-9a71244/'), who handles Apple's international affairs, was named the director of IKinema on September 12, 2019, with his address listed as One Apple Park Way.



The address of the company was also updated to 100 New Bridge Street in London on September 26, which is the address for Apple Europe Limited.



The IKinema website is no longer functional with the exception of a few technical documents, and the company's Twitter and Facebook accounts stopped being updated on August 19. A MacRumors reader in the industry told MacRumors that IKinema customers have been left in the dark "for weeks" and that the acquisition was confirmed in a private Facebook Motion Capture group this morning.



It's not clear what Apple will do with IKinema's technology, but Apple has delved into games with Apple Arcade, though the company does not develop its own game technology at this time.

Apple is also rumored to be working on various virtual and augmented reality projects, which could potentially benefit from IKinema's software, as could Animoji and Memoji, which animate based on facial expressions using the TrueDepth camera system.

Article Link: Apple May Have Acquired Motion Capture Company IKinema ('https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/03/apple-acquisition-ikinema/')
One of these days, Apple will acquire IKEA, and rename it iKea. The prices of everything they sell will skyrocket, but on the plus size, the furniture and housewares will get thinner and thinner.

The Apple iTorp 3S+ sofa group will have a triple-lens camera system, and be only a foot wide. Will make it tough to sit on, and as it will be made mostly of glass, it will be fairly fragile, but GOD will it take fantastic selfies, even in low light! AND it will be able to connect wirelessly to the internet!

Only $4,278.95 with 6GB of CLSDDR4 RAM... (Chaise Lounge Sofa Double Data Rate 4th generation Random Access Memory,) and 32GB storage for the base model. Of course, what Apple won’t tell you is that furnitureOS takes 28GB of storage to work. Never mind why a SOFA needs RAM...

I could be wrong, but it would be really funny. The alternative is that IKEA gets a BUNCH of money from somewhere and buys Apple. The next year, they announce the new iPhøn, which you have to assemble yourself from 178 individual parts, and the instructions are of course, almost free of words, just pictographs showing someone with REALLY tiny hands putting things together, and the obligatory sketch of someone with GIANT hands, (by which I mean regular-sized hands,) on a frustrated person, unable to even pick up or hold the tiny bits, smiling while calling customer service for help, and customer service sending a tiny little pixie of a person in a blue-striped, yellow colored IKEA uniform, over to assist the customer.

For a fee, of course.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dan110 Avatar
81 months ago
Apple will essentially become the American version of Sony Corp.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)