Apple is reportedly looking to acquire the Path social network

According to a report late Tuesday, Apple is on the verge of announcing an acquisition of social network and corresponding app Path, possibly in a bid to restart a branded platform after the failure of Ping. As reported by Pando Daily, a source with knowledge of the matter claims an agreement between Apple and Path is “essentially a done deal.” The publication cites one person currently working for Apple in unnamed engineering department. Interestingly, the source says Apple is looking to keep Path intact following the rumored buyout, a tactic that strays from the company’s usual M&A tactics. Save for the recent acquisition of Beats, Apple usually performs so-called “acquihires,” or purchases made for talent, not a brand name. The publication speculates that Path may make its way into iOS Messages.