Apple buys data analysis company

San Francisco

APPLE has acquired Semetric, a company that analyses data about music online, a move that may hint at Apple's ambitions as it prepares to revamp iTunes and Beats Music.

In documents filed with public regulators in Britain, where Semetric is based, the company changed its address to one in London associated with Apple, and named an Apple lawyer, Gene Levoff, as a company director. A person briefed on the deal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Apple had bought Semetric, although further details, including the price, could not be confirmed.

An Apple spokesman said: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." A representative of Semetric did not respond to inquiries. The news was first reported early Wednesday by the website Music Ally .

Semetric, known for its service Musicmetric, is one of a growing number of companies that record labels, artist managers and others turn to for data about how music is consumed online. This information has become coveted as more listeners turn from CDs and downloads to streaming outlets like Spotify and YouTube. Musicmetric, along with rivals like Next Big Sound, tracks streaming services and social media chatter, and sells that information to clients like record companies and talent agents.

For Apple, the deal may signal a desire to expand its online music offerings after buying Beats last year for US$3 billion. The availability of useful data has become a critical point for artists and labels, and Apple is eager to present itself as a valuable partner, music executives say.

Apple's deal for Semetric is the latest in a number of investments in streaming music and data. Last year, Spotify bought Echo Nest for US $91 million, mostly in stock. And also on Wednesday, Shazam, the popular song identification app that has a data-sharing agreement with the Warner Music Group, said that it had raised $30 million in new investment, bringing its valuation to $1 billion. NYT