Deal points to functions in upcoming hardware as sensor could be used to detect gestures, faces or internal geography
Apple has bought PrimeSense, an Israeli company which provided 3D sensors for the first generation Microsoft Kinect, according to reports in Israel.
PrimeSense's systems generate a three-dimensional representation of the space in front of the sensors using reflected infrared light, so that digital devices can effectively "see" a scene and recognise elements in it. The first-generation Kinect uses it to locate players and observe their movements.
The deal, said to be worth $345m (£213m), was reported by Calcalist, an Israeli financial newspaper which has a good track record on acquisitions in the area. It was the first to report that Google had bought the Israeli traffic mapping company Waze in June.
Apple's decision to purchase the company will heighten expectation that it is working on some form of application for the living room, where a sensor could work with its Apple TV set-top box and allow users to control a TV remotely. Alternatively it could be fitted to a phone and used to recognise faces - perhaps as an adjunct to its fingerprint unlocking system introduced on the iPhone 5S in September, or a feature in an entirely new device.
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