AT&T has acquired mobile-application development company Plusmo and plans to use its technology to more quickly build applications and widgets for mobile phones as well as PCs and TVs.
Privately held Plusmo sells a platform for building widgets and applications using common Web development standards, which allows them to be deployed across multiple operating systems and devices. The company will become part of AT&T Interactive, and its development platform will be used by multiple AT&T subsidiaries, the carrier said in a press release on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
AT&T has already developed some of its own mobile applications, including the YPmobile derivative of its YellowPages.com service. Wednesday’s acquisition will help the carrier develop new applications more quickly and at lower cost and allow for over-the-air updates of its applications, the company said. AT&T said it also aims to use the technology to develop applications and widgets that work across mobile phones, PCs and TVs.
Plusmo says it offers a service that delivers more than 20,000 mobile widgets to consumers. It has also developed numerous sports-oriented applications offered on several platforms. The company has relationships with handset manufacturers, publishers and carriers, according to AT&T.