Apple has acquired Locationary, a Toronto-based startup that organizes data on local businesses, for an undisclosed sum.
Apple confirmed the deal to AllThingsD, which also reported hearing from sources that the acquisition included Locationary's team and technology. Apple did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
The Locationary acquisition appears to be part of Apple's effort to continue developing and improving its mapping apps for iPhone and iPad. Apple has previously acquired several other mapping-related startups, including Poly9 and Placebase.
Apple's own default mapping app, which it launched with iOS 6 in September, has been criticized by users for being significantly less accurate than Google Maps. The disappointing launch prompted Apple's CEO Tim Cook to apologize for the app and reportedly led Apple to push out its longtime head of iOS, Scott Forstall.
Cook recently said in an interview that Apple has been buying companies at a faster rate in recent months, with nine acquisitions between October and May, compared to about six acquisitions per year prior to that.