Apple Acquires Startup Working on 'Breakthrough Sensing Technology'

Earlier this year, Apple acquired California-based startup Sonera, according to a notice published today on the European Commission's website.

Sonera previously announced that it had developed "breakthrough sensing technology" that "non-invasively measures magnetic fields" generated by the brain and body. The company said its technology can analyze neural data without direct skin contact, giving it an advantage over traditional electrical sensing techniques.

"This proprietary technology holds the key to making brain activity as easy to measure as heart rate, temperature, and other physiological signals," said Sonera, in a 2023 press release. The company said its technology was "poised to enable an entirely new class of consumer wearables and experiences based on muscle activity."

Sonera said it had developed a biomagnetic chip that would enable use cases such as "advanced prosthetics control, continuous monitoring of neuromuscular conditions, discovery of disease biomarkers, and sport performance tracking," so this acquisition could pave the way for future Apple Watch health and accessibility features.