Apple acquires transit app developer Embark

In a continuing quest to improve the quality of its mapping services, Apple has reportedly acquired transit app development firm Embark, a small Silicon Valley startup that develops free transit apps for iOS. While it is unclear how much Apple paid for the acquisition, the report notes that Apple plans to integrate Embark’s technology into Apple Maps, according to people knowledgeable about the deal. This is the second transit-related company Apple has acquired in the past few weeks, following its acquisition of HopStop in July, and suggests that Apple is working to develop its own transit guidance system to fill the gap in Apple Maps since it switched away from Google Maps last year. [via 9to5Mac]