Microsoft Acquires SwiftKey, Android and iOS Will Continue To Be Developed
Microsoft today announced the acquisition of popular third-party keyboard maker SwiftKey. Acquired for an undisclosed sum, early reports have suggest that the deal is valued at $250 million.
According to Microsoft, this deal will further reinvent its ambition for productivity, helping users do more in less time. SwiftKey estimates that its users have saved nearly 10 trillion keystrokes, across 100 languages, saving more than 100,000 years in combined typing time. This acquisition is an example of Microsoft’s commitment to bringing its software and services to all platforms.
“We love SwiftKey’s technology and we love the team that Jon and Ben have formed,” says Harry Shum, head of Microsoft Research. He also said “We’ll continue to develop SwiftKey’s market-leading keyboard apps for Android and iOS as well as explore scenarios for the integration of the core technology across the breadth of our product and services portfolio.”
“Our apps will continue to be available on Android and iOS, for free. We are as committed as ever to improving them in new and innovative ways,” added SwiftKey founders Jon Reynolds and Ben Medlock.
For Microsoft, the purchase of Swiftkey is the latest step in Satya Nadella’s plan to regain a foothold in mobile industry by acquiring popular productivity apps. Microsoft has also bought the email app Acompli, calendar app Sunrise, productivity app Wunderlist and business communications app Talko, among others.
Swiftkey has more than 150 employees in London, San Francisco and Seoul. Many of them are expected to join Microsoft Research to work under Harry Shum.
