Microsoft Buys Swiftkey for $250M to Integrate AI into Smart Devices
Microsoft has quietly purchased a the London, UK based startup Swiftkey in a deal worth a reported $250M.
Swiftkey is one of the innovators of using artificial intelligence to predict a human’s next movement when it comes to typing or tapping out a word using a keyboard found on your smart device.
Some analysts believe that Microsoft has purchased Swiftkey so that it can bolster its mobile offerings.
Inherently, by acquiring Swiftkey, Microsoft gains access to several artificial intelligence experts within Swiftkey; Microsoft could use this team to push out the next wave of AI implementations on Smart Devices.
Some experts are predicting that Microsoft will eventually implement Swiftkey’s technology as an augmentation of the popular Cortana platform, however, this is just pure speculation at this point.
“Our number one focus has always been to build the best possible products for our users. This will not change,” says the founders of Swiftkey, Jon Reynolds and Ben Medlock.
“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,” the duo added in a statement.
The acquisition of Swiftkey by Microsoft may shed some light on the future of the Microsoft Cloud platform.
For example, some experts have said that Microsoft has been on a buying spree of sorts when it comes to mobile cloud startups. This is evidenced by Microsoft’s recent purchases of Acompli, Sunrise and Wunderlist.
Swiftkey should help Microsoft build up its mobile portfolio. Considering the fact that Microsoft is heavily invested in its touch screen products; (i.e. the Surface lineup & Windows Mobile) the acquisition of Swiftkey comes at an opportune time.
Microsoft will likely do whatever it takes for make its mobile product lineup the most productive platform on the market today.
By implementing Swiftkey, an app that streamlines the art of typing out words on a mobile device, Microsoft is one step closer to becoming the dominant player in the mobile platform market segment.
