Apple is reported to have acquired certain assets of Rabbit 3 Times, the developer of “Play,” a SwiftUI prototyping tool that previously won an Apple Design Award for innovation. Multiple outlets point to a filing with the European Commission that becomes public after the required waiting period under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The filing indicates Apple gains rights to acquire specified assets from Rabbit 3 Times and also has the option to hire some employees, which is described in coverage as an asset acquisition and/or acqui-hire structure rather than a typical full-company purchase.
“Play” is described as a Mac and iPhone tool that helps designers and developers prototype app interfaces using SwiftUI frameworks and then send prototypes to Xcode, enabling interactive testing and collaboration synced in real time. After the acquisition became apparent, “Play” is reported to be removed from the App Store. Sources also say Apple could incorporate the acquired technology into Xcode or related development tools, though Apple has not publicly outlined its exact plans for the functionality.
