Apple is poised to announce a US$275 million swoop for mobile advertising company Quattro, according to media reports this week. The Wall Street Journal’s ‘All Things Digital’ blog – citing several sources – claims an announcement may be made as early as today. The move is being compared to Google’s US$750 million acquisition two months ago of AdMob, a competitor to Quattro. It was rumoured at the time that Apple had lost out to Google in landing the deal, though Google’s purchase has yet to be passed by regulators in the US. Both AdMob and Quattro provide platforms for serving mobile adverts across a range of smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android devices. 

Launched in 2006, Massachusetts-based Quattro has raised close to US$30 million from its two main venture investors, Highland Capital Partners and Globespan Capital Partners. Its current client base includes Ford, Disney and the National Football League (NFL). While AdMob and Quattro are among the largest companies in this space, All Things Digital notes that there are a number of other players, including Millennial Media and Jumptap, which may now become acquisition targets for mobile operators, device makers and Internet firms.