Google has confirmed a news report that it had acquired Android, a small startup working in the mobile area.
The company was founded by Andrew Rubin, who also founded Danger. Danger makes the Hiptop, an all-in-one wireless device sold by T-Mobile. Hiptop users can send e-mail, make cellular phone calls, browse the Web and chat via AOL Instant Messenger.
Google has made its own forays into wireless, with a wireless products division offering SMS-based search and Google Mobile Web Search, released in June.
Today, it announced enhancements to its Froogle Mobile comparison-shopping service that let users sort results by price. Google also made the service available in the United Kingdom.
In May, Google picked up another startup, Dodgeball. Dodgeball combined social networking, geolocation and SMS. The two-person company created a service that allowed users to check in their locations and transmit that information via SMS to mobile phones of other members in the area.
There is no information about Android on the company Web site, only static maps showing the company’s addresses in Boston, Palo Alto and Seattle that appear to have been generated by Google Maps. Rubin earlier told BusinessWeek which first reported the Android purchase, that the company was working on software for mobile devices.
In a statement provided to internetnews.com, the company said, “We acquired Android because of the talented engineers and great technology. We’re thrilled to have them here.”