Wifarer CEO takes 'leadership role' with Apple

The CEO and co-founder of Wifarer, Philip Stanger, has left the company and assumed an unidentified "leadership role" at Apple, according to sources for TechCrunch. Rumors had hinted that Wifarer might have been bought by Apple. Instead control of Wifarer has shifted to Stanger's wife, Lise Murphy, who was previously VP of Marketing.

The firm specializes in indoor positioning technology, adding to evidence that such technology could be coming to Apple Maps. In March of last year Apple bought another indoor positioning outfit, WiFiSlam, in a deal worth $20 million. Apple is likely hoping to better compete with Google, which is already well ahead in terms of indoor mapping.

Why Apple would only want Stanger is unclear. Although Wifarer has developed technology for iOS and Android, Stanger has a non-technical background both in terms of education and his work experience, which includes employers like Paramount Pictures and the BBC. Wifarer as a company may not be valuable enough, as it has shrunk to less than a dozen people in the past year, and has yet to win the patents on its ideas.

By Electronista Staff

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Wifarer CEO takes 'leadership role' with Apple