【】
Snapchat is continuing on its quest to redefine mobile.
The mobile storytelling app is acquiring Vurb, a search and discovery app, for $100 million in a cash and stock deal, according to The Information.
First, it was disappearing messages. Then, it was vertical video. Next, Snapchat could bring more to search.
Founded in 2011, Vurb attempted to make search more mobile-friendly, digestible and shareable by converting results into mobile cards. All within one app, users could search for a place, see the related information and save it for later or send it to a friend. Other categories included movies, TV, video and music.
SEE ALSO:Instagram Stories doesn't mean Snapchat will disappearThe ambitions were clearly to take on search giant Google. Vurb is “very different than traditional search with 10 blue links," founder Bobby Lo told TechCrunchlast year.
For Snapchat, Vurb's technology could align with its own ambitions to capture more eyeballs and ad dollars from Google, Facebook and other apps through improving third-party content and personalization. The news comes shortly after Facebook's Instagram released a nearly identical copy of Snapchat's core feature, Stories.
"I don't think this is about any old mobile search engine," Ian Schafer, CEO and founder of ad agency DeepFocus, told Mashable in an email. "The experience / place nature of Vurb seems to fit nicely into the technological direction Snapchat is heading toward."
"I don't think this is about any old mobile search engine"
That includes deep-linking to other apps and sites, as demonstrated by Snapchat's ticket purchasing ad for X-Men: Apocalypse. Vurb is connected to Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, Google Maps, Netflix and Uber, for example.
Snapchat is also interested in selling and showing ads based on object recognition, as revealed in a recent patent application.
"A search engine geared around place-based intent like Vurb would help take Snapchat closer to that vision when paired with their already impressive visual recognition technology," Schafer said.
Not unlike Foursquare's pitch, Vurb recommends services that are "personalized for you in one simple app," according to its website. Those recommendations are based on interests, trending topics, time, weather and locations, the website reads. That idea could soon be matched with Snapchat's abundance of photos and videos.
Snapchat hasn't been shy about acquisitions. Earlier this year, the company acquired Bitmoji for $100 million, which it recently integrated into the app. Snapchat spent $150 million on facial recognition app Looksery to support its lenses technology last year, TechCrunchreported.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
TopicsGoogleSnapchat
相关文章
One of the most controversial power struggles in media comes to a close
One of the world's biggest media companies has been embroiled in a complex personal and professional2024-11-21- 國足備戰12強賽隊長吳曦曬照 健身房擼鐵全情投入(圖)_西亞www.ty42.com 日期:2021-10-31 18:01:00| 評論(已有310473條評論)2024-11-21
- 陳戌源親自率隊出征西亞 國足成員稱兩戰至少要拿4分_比賽www.ty42.com 日期:2021-11-01 17:01:00| 評論(已有310669條評論)2024-11-21
- 12強賽前4輪國足共9人未出場 3日熱身賽後將離隊數人_比賽www.ty42.com 日期:2021-11-02 09:01:00| 評論(已有310732條評論)2024-11-21
Man stumbles upon his phone background in real life
Life imitates tech. Or, perhaps it's the other way around.Reddit user xbshooterwas traveling near Sa2024-11-21- 國足連踢兩場熱身調整全新陣容 首要任務調整心態_比賽www.ty42.com 日期:2021-11-01 10:01:00| 評論(已有310570條評論)2024-11-21
最新评论