Apple buys Canadian big data start-up Locationary

Apple Inc. has made a strategic move to improve the quality of its mapping service by acquiring a Canadian start-up that specializes in collecting large amounts of location-related data.

The Cupertino, Calif., tech giant has acquired the team and technology of Toronto-based Locationary, according to a report by All Things D.

Apple confirmed the purchase, though how much it paid is unknown.

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“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” Apple said in a statement.

The acquisition should help improve the accuracy of Apple Maps, which last year was criticized by users who said it provided inaccurate location information.

At one point, Australian officials advised users not to rely on Apple Maps as the tool kept getting users lost by sending them into the middle of a national park.

Eventually, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook had to apologize for the poor quality of Apple Maps, but the app has improved since then. It should get even better with the purchase of Locationary, which brings more accurate and recent information thanks to its data-exchange tool it calls Saturn.

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