Apple acquires firm specializing in broadcast media software

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple Computer has acquired Proximity Corporation, a leading provider of creative media asset management and production workflow software for the broadcasting industry, a posting on the firm's website has confirmed.



"We are pleased to announce that all Proximity technology and intellectual property, including artbox workgroup and artbox enterprise, was recently acquired by Apple," the statement reads.



The privately held firm was formed back in 1997 with a focus of developing and marketing advanced rich media asset management (RMAM) and workflow optimization software for the broadcast, creative-production, gaming and corporate industries.



Over the past decade, Proximity's software solutions have emerged as the quintessential industry standard for the management and storage of broadcast rich-media assets.



Proximity caters to a client base of over 150 broadcasters and some of the industries biggest names, including CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, BBC and KBS.



In 2002, the New York-based company was awarded a Technology Emmy for its artbox workgroup and artbox enterprise products. It also maintains offices in London and Sydney.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 28
    I smell another pro app in the making!
  • Reply 2 of 28
    josa92josa92 Posts: 193member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SoopaDrive


    I smell another pro app in the making!



    That does what?

    stores things?
  • Reply 3 of 28
    feynmanfeynman Posts: 1,087member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider


    Proximity caters to a client base of over 150 broadcasters and some of the industries biggest names, including CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, BBC and KBS.



    I'm willing to bet this is one of the big reasons they bought them out. Sure their applications may be gold but the client base is pretty huge.



    Obviously once this gets rewritten by Apple it will only be compatible with Apple hardware....and only compatible with Final Cut....
  • Reply 4 of 28
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    The next version of Final Cut Studio will be very different, will be the full package. Shake and all the seperate Pro Apple software applications like Final Cut Pro will become one thing, and all those apps will seemlessly integrate with one another. That whole package will possibly be called "Phenomenon".
  • Reply 5 of 28
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Currently Apple offers no stand alone video storage or management solutions.



    Apple can use this software to create a consumer video storage and magnament app for iLife akin to iPhoto.



    One of the biggest complaints about FCP is its mediocre media managment which this software would rectify in spades. This software wil likely be Aperture for video. Providing storage and managment of video elements for all of Final Cut Studio.
  • Reply 6 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland


    The next version of Final Cut Studio will be very different, will be the full package, and will be called Phenomenon. Shake and all the seperate Pro Apple software applications like Final Cut Pro will become one thing, and all those apps will seemlessly integrate with one another.



    Cool! I take it Steve called you personnally to bring you up-to-date??
  • Reply 7 of 28
    tmedia1tmedia1 Posts: 104member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider


    Apple Computer has acquired Proximity Group, a leading provider of creative media asset management and production workflow software for the broadcasting industry, a posting on the firm's website has confirmed.



    "We are pleased to announce that all Proximity technology and intellectual property, including artbox workgroup and artbox enterprise, was recently acquired by Apple," the statement reads.



    The privately held firm was formed back in 1997 with a focus of developing and marketing advanced rich media asset management (RMAM) and workflow optimization software for the broadcast, creative-production, gaming and corporate industries.



    Over the past decade, Proximity's software solutions have emerged as the quintessential industry standard for the management and storage of broadcast rich-media assets.



    Proximity caters to a client base of over 150 broadcasters and some of the industries biggest names, including CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, BBC and KBS.



    In 2002, the New York-based company was awarded a Technology Emmy for its artbox workgroup and artbox enterprise products. It also maintains offices in London and Sydney.



    This is probably so Final Cut can compete better against AVID for the edit bays of broadcast facilities. Their network storage/access systems and software needs are an integral part of the edit suite solution and very different from the independent editor. This is good news for industry and Apple.
  • Reply 8 of 28
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dutch pear


    Cool! I take it Steve called you personnally to bring you up-to-date??



    Who's Steve?
  • Reply 9 of 28
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell


    Currently Apple offers no stand alone video storage or management solutions.



    Apple can use this software to create a consumer video storage and magnament app for iLife akin to iPhoto.



    I never thought of that. You're right, currently video's from a camera are just kind of slapped into iPhoto - good solution.
  • Reply 10 of 28
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Null.
  • Reply 11 of 28
    Looks like Steve started his holiday shopping early.



    Thanks uncle Steve!

    Your the BEST!
  • Reply 12 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dutch pear


    Cool! I take it Steve called you personnally to bring you up-to-date??



    Get a life.
  • Reply 13 of 28
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by psilopsyche


    Get a life.



    Although I'm greatful to have people jump to my defence, I'm sure it was just simple sarcasm. Why don't we all just get along
  • Reply 14 of 28
    I can see Apple becoming the SGI of Video/Audio. A complete Unix based package. But where SGI failed, Apple did the right thing by making the product line wide enough for all levels of consumers.
  • Reply 15 of 28
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:

    I never thought of that. You're right, currently video's from a camera are just kind of slapped into iPhoto - good solution.



    I tried consolidating my video collection into iTunes. Even though video storage and playback in iTunes is getting better. iTunes is clearly made for music and video just isn't its strong point.



    Apple needs an app made primarily to manage video.
  • Reply 16 of 28
    vinney57vinney57 Posts: 1,162member
    TenoBell has it.



    The media management in FC Studio sucks in comparison the Avid offerings. Proximity clearly has some technology and/or experience that Apple need (or more likely have liked the stuff they have already bought so much, they decided to buy the company). Good indication that Apple are pushing on in the pro media space..
  • Reply 17 of 28
    This sounds great! Now if Apple would only just get into the "enterprise" market and take on Active Directory, Exchange, Office, Outlook, Sharepoint, etc. Currently OS X can't begin to touch the enterprise market because it doesn't have answers to these Microsoft technologies. Not only does Apple not have the solutions to compete in this area, but OS X can't even integrate very well with Microsoft's solutions.



    Oh, one more thing... a polished and unified GUI for OS X! The current UI is very lacking.



    I'm a long-time Apple fan.
  • Reply 18 of 28
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:

    Now if Apple would only just get into the "enterprise" market and take on Active Directory, Exchange, Outlook, Sharepoint, etc.



    Apple has always had a strong market position in creative content (video, music, photography, publishing, graphic design). The people who work in these field stayed fiercely loyal to the Mac, even in Apple's darkest days. So its easier for Apple to hold and dominate this market.



    Windows dominates Enterprise in the same way. Even if Apple did attempt to compete in Enterprise Windows is so entrench its not likely to succeed.
  • Reply 19 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slewis


    Well there is always "One More Thing" when you have an infrastructure that already works really well.

    In the rare case that there isn't one more thing, the Infrstructure must be terminated and started from scratch



    Example

    Apple Works-Terminated

    Now iWork



    Uhm, AppleWorks hasn't been terminated. It's still around...
  • Reply 20 of 28
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MV101


    Uhm, AppleWorks hasn't been terminated. It's still around...



    It's basically been on life support for a long time. It used to be included with all new macs, but it's not shipped on any Intel machine and there won't be an Intel port for it.
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