Apple may have acquired a start-up to feed its growing appetite for more powerful data, according to TechCrunch.
The iPhone maker has reportedly acquired Tuplejump, a data science technology firm that specializes in combining large, disparate sets of files seamlessly to drive machine learning, TechCrunch reported.
Apple neither confirmed nor denied the report to CNBC, and said only that "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."
Tuplejump no longer appears to have a website, and a request for comment was not immediately returned.
If it was bought by Apple, Tuplejump would join a portfolio of other reported acquisitions as Apple aims to make its technology smarter and faster. For instance, machine learning was a prominent feature of the new chip in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus cameras, helping the phone detect objects and adjust settings with more precision.