FollowWe hear constantly about new IM apps. Emu was one of the most exciting app of the kind on the market. Was, because Google bought Emu for an undisclosed sum. Emu offered users with lots of benefits, considering the size of the company. But the features are not unheard of and for a good reason.
Emu’s founder, Gummi Hafsteinsson, has previously worked with both Google and Apple. While working for Apple, he helped develop Siri. Emu shares some of the characteristics found in both Siri and Google Now. Besides being an IM service, EMU offered personalized support.
Emu searched through your conversations and offered useful suggestions. Whether it was about fitting a meeting in your schedule, visualizing a point on Google Maps or offering table reservations at nearby restaurants, Emu did it all.
Google seems to be very adaptable to what users need and prefer on using. Earlier this summer, the tech giant decided to close the old social network Orkut, because it was losing users. Besides, Google wants to focus on other online communities, like the ones fostered by Google Plus and Youtube. Google also acquired another company recently. Songza was acquired for $39 million, because the human curated playlists are in vogue right now. As a proof, just look at Apple’s latest giant acquisition, Beats Music.
Google bought Emu IM app to improve its IM services
Emu fans will have to find other similar app, because the app will soon be shut down. This message thrones the app’s homepage. “As of August 25, 2014, we’ll be shutting down the Emu app. It will no longer be available in the App Store, and existing users won’t be able to send, receive, or download messages. We know it’s an inconvenience, and we regret that.”
The app barely got out of the beta testing period, so Google moved fast, as usual. The intentions seem pretty clear. Google wants to use Emu technology to improve its own services like Google Now and Hangouts. The latter app evolved impressively. Hangouts was initially a video chatting app. Right now, the app became the communication hub on Android and any efforts regarding improved communication features will be directed towards Hangout.
Google bought Emu for an undisclosed sum. So far, Emu took $1.5 million in venture funding, as Android Police remarks, this being the only serious hint on the company’s value.
