Apple acquires education technology startup LearnSprout

Apple has just acquired the education technology startup LearnSprout, whose interactive tools and software allows teachers to track students' performance and monitor their progress including test scores. It also allows teachers to organise class achievement targets, besides facilitating multi-user account switching.

Apple's latest acquisition will help extend LearnSprout's reach to iOS, as the technology was originally limited to PC and Mac users. With the declining demand for Apple's iPad and its plummeting sales figures, the company is keen on promoting iPad for enterprise and education sectors.

When asked to comment on its newest acquisition in the education field, here is what Apple spokesman Colin Johnson told Bloomberg:

"Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans".

With the release of iOS 9.3, which supports several new features for iPads in education, Apple seems to be headed in the right direction in its vision to contribute to the education industry. One of the several enhancements ported into iOS 9.3 actually enables users to switch between multiple user profiles in shared iPad mode, as they enjoy access to independent data and apps.

With the existing support for the Classroom app in iOS, it is now possible to enable perfect co-ordination between teachers and students, especially for integrating grade tracking into the system in future. Apple is reportedly working on the launch of iPad Air 3 for a potential release in March, which could further contribute to the education sector as more and more iPads make their way into classrooms.