Key facts
- Apple has agreed to hire employees and license technology from Huxe.
- The deal is described as a reverse acqui-hire.
- Huxe announced its shutdown on May 21.
- Apple notified the European Commission of the deal on June 9.
Apple has reached an agreement to bring on team members and license technology from the personalized audio startup Huxe, in a move commonly known as a reverse acqui-hire. The tech giant disclosed the deal in a regulatory filing with the European Commission.
Reverse acqui-hires have become a strategy for larger companies to acquire key talent and technology from startups without a full acquisition, potentially avoiding greater antitrust scrutiny. Huxe was founded by developers who previously worked on AI-generated podcast features. The startup announced its shutdown on May 21, stating it would remove its app from stores, halt services, and delete user data.
Shortly after Huxe's announcement, Apple informed the European Commission of the agreement. The filing does not specify which employees received offers or if they accepted, nor does it detail Apple's plans for the acquired technology. The deal comes shortly after Spotify unveiled its own AI-powered podcast generation features, suggesting Apple may be looking to enhance its Podcasts app with similar capabilities.