Apple is expected to announce soon that it has purchased Quattro Wireless for $275 million, according to a report by AllThingsD. Quattro has a mobile ad network and platform that lets advertisers target mobile users with ads.
The report said several sources had confirmed the announcement but that Apple has declined comment. The move would increase the stakes in the mobile ad business, since it would be a kind of counter to Google’s $750 million acquisition of AdMob, which competes with Quattro.
The announcement could come as soon as tomorrow, according to the report. Waltham, Mass.-based Quattro is focused on ads for smartphones such as Google’s Android devices and Apple’s iPhone. The company has raised almost $30 million from Highland Capital Partners and Globespan Capital Partners. Its clients include Ford, Disney, and the National Football League.
The news comes on the eve of Google’s new big move against Apple: the launch of the Google-designed Nexus One smartphone.
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