Earlier reports whispered of Microsoft’s intent to purchase the successful cross-platform calendar app Sunrise. Today, not only have Microsoft and Sunrise confirmed the acquisition, they’ve also seemed to accidently make it a very splashy public affair. The two companies did so by hosting a video interview on the Microsoft YouTube channel (the video has since been set to private). In the video, Sunrise co-founder Pierre Valade is being interviewed by Microsoft’s “chief storyteller”, Steve Clayton. Javier Soltero, co-founder of recently acquired Acompli, also joins the video.
While the video was done over Skype and posted to YouTube, viewers were theoretically introduced to Microsoft’s future of synergy and productivity through the accessibility of useful and meaningful apps for users of all platforms. A video interview between co-founders of newly acquired services like Sunrise and Acompli, both highly successful apps on iOS and Android , should be evidence enough of Microsoft’s new found commitment to being truly open to all forms of productivity no matter where they reside.
Update: Microsoft has made the acquisition of Sunrise finally, really, official, with a blog post, and the re-emergence of the video inadvertently posted earlier:
Should Microsoft continue this trend of acquiring startups?
Further reading: Android, Calendar, iOS, Mail, Microsoft, Outlook, Sunrise
