Particle has been acquired by Apple, according to reports. The consulting studio has done HTML5 work for Amazon, Google, Motorola, and has previously worked with Apple executing the iAd platform and aspects of the now defunct Mobile Me service. The deal was completed last month, and was made public today.
Particle was founded in 2008 and lists Justin Timberlake as an investor. The group helped develop video service Robo.to, completely developed in HTML5.
According to Particle’s “Services” section of its webpage, the company is focused on WebKit and HTML5, as the technologies are “increasingly becoming the lowest common denomination on the desktop web in next-generation browsers like Google’s Chrome, and Apple’s Safari.” The developer claims that they have chosen to focus on HTML5 as 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 deives, to portable telephony and media devices of all kinds.”
Neither Apple nor Particle have commented on the acquisition. No terms of the deal have been made public. Future Particle dealings with Google and Motorola may be unlikely, given the state of the relationship of the companies with Apple.
