April 25, 2014

Facebook acquires creator of fitness app ‘Moves’

Facebook recently announced that it will be acquiring mobile application maker ProtoGeo Oy, creator of popular fitness app "Moves," according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. 

ProtoGeo Oy is a Finnish Software company that was founded in 2012. Their fitness app, "Moves," which launched in January 2013, allows users to track the distance that they have walked, cycled or run. It shows users when they have been moving, where and how much. One of the app's notable features is that it is capable of detecting whether a user is riding on public transit. Moves stands out against other fitness apps in the market because of its ability to detect and track a wide variety of activities, and with this acquisition, Facebook looks to possibly establish a place in the fitness tracking market. 

The app is able to provide capabilities similar to those offered by fitness wristbands that track activity. Moves essentially provides a "daily storyline" to the person using the app. Since it is a smart phone application, there is no need for users to buy additional equipment to track their movements. According to the ProtoGeo's website, Moves has received 4 million downloads from Android phones and iPhones. After the acquisition, the Moves app will continue to be available as a "standalone app."

"Now, we're joining Facebook's talented team to work on building and improving their products and services with a shared mission of supporting simple, efficient tools for more than a billion people," said Moves in a statement on the Moves app website. 

The details of the acquisition were not disclosed, but as the Wall Street Journal notes, this move fits Facebook's acquisition strategy of acquiring standalone apps. 

Other acquisitions that Facebook made earlier this year included virtual reality headset maker Oculus, and messaging application WhatsApp.