Google Buys GIPSGoogle Buys GIPS
A company that developed groundbreaking voice-over-the-Internet quality of service gets bought by Google, the Web's biggest player.
May 18, 2010
A company that developed groundbreaking voice-over-the-Internet quality of service gets bought by Google, the Web's biggest player.
In another sign that Google is moving into the communications space, the company has announced that it's buying Global IP Solutions (GIPS), which developed the technology that powers Skype--specifically, Skype's then-groundbreaking level of Quality of Service for voice over the Internet.Google is paying $68.2 million for GIPS.
Google's statement on the acquisition actually offers a pretty clear picture of how the company views communications as part of its overall strategy. Quoting Rian Liebenberg, Engineering Director at Google:
The Web is evolving quickly as a development platform, and real-time video and audio communication over the Internet are becoming important new tools for users. GIPS's technology provides high quality, real-time audio and video over an IP network, and we're looking forward to working with the GIPS team at Google to continue innovating for the Web platform.
I think this statement offers a good indication of why we haven't seen Google leap more aggressively into the market for enterprise-level communications. Google has offered Gmail as an enterprise platform, but they appear to view real-time communications as a component of Web-based services, rather than a standalone platform or capability.A company that developed groundbreaking voice-over-the-Internet quality of service gets bought by Google, the Web's biggest player.
