Tim Cook’s top Apple acquisitions mix hardware, software, and services

Tim Cook’s Apple may have passed on buying Tesla, but the company sure has an interesting list of smaller companies it bought during the outgoing CEO’s tenure.

Let’s stroll down Mergers and Acquisitions memory lane and revisit some of the top company takeovers during Tim Cook’s time at the top.

Apple has acquired a diverse range of companies for a mix of product features under Tim Cook

When John Ternus takes over as Apple CEO on September 1, it’ll take years for the new chief executive officer to catch up with Cook’s M&A record.

Many of the best Apple acquisitions power existing hardware and software features and services today.

In July 2012, Apple bought the US company AuthenTec before shipping the iPhone 5s with Touch ID in September 2013.

The following year, Apple acquired Israeli startup PrimeSense which is credited with developing Face ID technology that arrived with iPhone X in 2017.

Cook’s boldest acquisition came on August 1, 2014, when Apple bought Beats Electronics. Apple continues to develop and sell new Beats-branded headphones and speakers, and Beats Music was the foundation for Apple Music.