Google Acquires Android 3D Testing App Firm drawElements
Google continues on the acquisition trail with its latest buyout of drawElements, a Finnish software development company for a rumored 8-figure sum.
DrawElements may not be a software company that you've heard of before. It makes software which helps other developers create 3D graphics that are compatible with the Android platform. Their testing suite ensures that developers release apps that look correct on the multitude of Android smartphone and tablet form factors available in the marketplace. The company has a total of three software testing products on the market presently.
This is a problem that Apple doesn't have with the iPhone and iPad only being offered in limited models and sizes.
Improving Their Android App Testing Suite
The purpose behind the Google acquisition is to be able to take the code that's behind the testing suite from the Finnish software company and incorporate that into the Google testing suite that Google currently use.
Keeping Android Consistent
Google continues to look for ways to modularize the Android system with APIs and other methods to ensure that the apps that are developed for their mobile OS will be compatible across a broad range of form factors, phones and tablets running some version of the Android OS.
Several internal Google project teams have been working separately towards the goal of a more focused and coordinated approach to app frameworks to ensure apps have a consistent user interface that device users can readily understand.
Other Acquisitions
Google has been busy making other acquisitions in the first half of 2014. Bitspin was acquired, makers of the alarm application, Timely Alarm Clock.
Dropcam was picked up for $555m, Quest Visual was bought for its improved translation services, and the satellite imaging business, Skybox Imaging, was acquired in June.
Clearly not content with having the most used mobile OS on the planet, Google is seeing merit in buying up the best and brightest in the growing mobile space.
