BENGALURU: Apple’s preparation for launching iTunes and Beats Music later this year is evident—it has bought the British music analytics start-up Semetric. About $50m has been paid to Semetric which comprises of approximately 40 employees, who now work for Apple. Semetric was established in 2008 and supplies data on music download and streaming. It even keeps an eye on reactions from listeners about artists and songs on social media, reports Financial Times.

An Apple spokesperson said, “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” Semetric’s address has changed from London to Apple’s Europe base and it even got a new director, Gene Levoff, who is Apple’s vice president of corporate law.

Semetric is specially known for its service Musicmetric that produces data about the consumption of online music. Big record labels and artist managers turn to this firm for analysis. This is in demand as greater number of listeners are turning to streaming outlets. Till 2013, Semetric was able to raise its funds up to $4.7million. Companies like Spotify and Gracenote can be counted as its major clients.

Apple looks eager to prove itself as a compatible partner even in streaming music. Apple may be planning to re-launch Beats as a standard feature on iPhones and iPads. Beats was bought by Apple last year for $3 billion.

Apple is not the only one to buy small technology companies to boost up the music analysis. Last year Echo Nest was bought for $91 billion by Spotify. The popular song identification app, Shazam, in agreement with Warner Music Group, had raised $30 million in its new investment, which increased its value to $1 billion.

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