Microsoft (MSFT) is to acquire SwiftKey, a London, UK-based developer of personalized keyboard software and SDK.
The amount of the deal was reportedly $250m.
Co-founded in 2008 by Jon Reynolds and Ben Medlock, SwiftKey has developed a personalized keyboard software for (more than 300 million) Android and iOS devices leveraging Artificial Intelligence technologies that enable it to predict the next word the user intends to type. The software learns from previous SMS messages and output predictions based on currently input text and what it has learned and, according to the company, has allowed users to save nearly two trillion keystrokes and more than 23,000 years in combined typing time.
The acquisition is intended to enable Microsoft to bring its software and services to all platforms. The Redmond based company will continue to develop SwiftKey’s keyboard apps for Android and iOS as well as explore scenarios for the integration of the core technology across its product and services portfolio.
SwiftKey, which employs a staff of over 160 people in London, San Francisco, US, and Seoul, Korea, was backed by Index Ventures, Octopus Investments and Accel Partners.
FinSMEs
06/02/2016