Mountain View, California — According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, search engine behemoth Google continues its frantic acquisition pace, this time scooping up Seattle, Washington-based mobile schedule management startup Plannr, touting social scheduling solutions for platforms including Apple’s iPhone, and interesting the company was just launched in August.
Plannr is a mobile social calendar app for the iPhone, which enables consumers to combine social activities via email, geo-location, SMS, and phone calls to a group of address book contacts with an inbuilt Yelp and Google Maps integration that allows users to better identify a location to meet with friends.
In addition, Plannr targets groups of friends to connect with up to 10 individuals in order to share their events. With Plannr itself, users can update their friends when their plans change with a single message and everyone gets a text messages. Plans have stream updates, and users can stream to send a message to everyone who is coming or share their location. Plannr will then email or text everyone. Plannr will sync with Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, or the calendar on your iPhone. The service can also be used by email.
The official description is: “Plannr is the up-to-the-minute, simple way to make plans with your friends.”
Basically a social calendar which enables you to send group message to your friends with plans, Plannr perfectly accommodates in with Google’s recent mobile and social acquiring spree. The Plannr acquisition is the latest in a recent flurry of social-themed purchases that advance Google’s larger social media aspirations.
Earlier this month, Google CEO Eric Schmidt confirmed rampant rumors the digital services giant is moving into the social networking segment, gradually introducing ‘layers’ of social networking features across its expansive product portfolio. “We are trying to take Google’s core products and add a social component,” Schmidt said in mid-September during an appearance at the Zeitgeist conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“If you think about it, it is obvious. With your permission, knowing more about who your friends are, we can provide more tailored recommendations. Search quality can get better.” Schmidt declined multiple reports Google plans to roll out its so-called Google Me project, a social networking platform intended to directly rival market leader Facebook.
During the last few months, Google has snaffled up Angströ (a startup dedicated to building applications that integrate with social media networks like Facebook and Twitter) as well as mobile gaming startup SocialDeck and social media solutions providers Jambool, Slide and Aardvark. In addition, Google invested in social gaming juggernaut Zynga.
The Wall Street Journal quoting sources having knowledge of the matter, said that the Google Me effort is still in the pipeline, however, adding Google products including YouTube will integrate social sharing tools. Schmidt is also hoping to integrate Facebook data into Google’s initiatives: “The best thing that would happen is for Facebook to open up its data. Failing that, there are other ways to get that information.” He stopped short to offer specifics.
Plannr was founded in August 2010 by former Microsoft employees Ben Eidelson and Jason Prado. While details of the supposed acquisition are unknown, it is speculated that it is more about acquiring the team behind Plannr than acquiring Plannr itself.
Check out a Plannr promotional and demo video below.