Microsoft acquires third-party keyboard app SwiftKey for $250 mn

Microsoft's SwiftKey purchase could be the next big addition to its multi-platform services. Microsoft bought the app for $250 million.

Microsoft, SwiftKey, computer keyboards, Microsoft keyboards, virtual keyboards, Outlook, acompli, sunrise, tech news, technology

SwiftKey is one of the most popular keyboard app on Android and is also available on iOS

SwiftKey has announced that it is now a part of Microsoft. Microsoft has reportedly acquired the app for $250 million. With the acquisition, Microsoft plans to integrate SwiftKey’s technology with its own Word Flow keyboard.

Microsoft already has a great smartphone keyboard in the form of Word Flow keyboard on Windows Phone, and is already working on bringing the same to iOS and Android later this year. It will be interesting to see if both the apps co-exist, or whether Microsoft simply renames SwiftKey to Word Flow.

SwiftKey made its Android debut in 2010, and has been downloaded over 10 million times. The popular keyboard app landed on iOS in 2014, when Apple opened its ecosystem for third-party developers. SwiftKey recently switched from a paid app to in-app payments for its keyboard themes.

SwiftKey has one of the best keyboard predictions, and its auto-correct feature stands second to none. It also recently launched an Android keyboard, which works on neural networks.

With SwiftKey acquisition, Microsoft can deploy the same neural networks for its own keyboards, which could become primary keyboard for many on Android and iOS.

Microsoft has been acquiring all great apps to deploy its own services on other platforms. It acquired Acompli which was rebranded as Outlook on iOS, and it later bought Sunrise which used to be the number one calendar app on Apple’s iOS.