Twitter purchases TweetDeck
Twitter Inc. is taking over TweetDeck Inc., a popular application that allows users to access the microblogging service and sort posts into customized columns.
TweetDeck, based in London, was founded in 2008 and is the second most popular third-party Twitter app behind Pasadena-based UberMedia Inc.’s UberSocial.
TweetDeck and Twitter announced the purchase Wednesday after more than a month of speculation that pegged the purchase price at about $40 million to $50 million. Officials at TweetDeck and Twitter were not available Wednesday to comment on the price.
UberMedia was also rumored to have made an offer for TweetDeck, which is believed to be a major reason why Twitter wanted to buy the English company — to keep UberMedia from gaining more market share.
Twitter’s purchase of TweetDeck closed Tuesday, Iain Dodsworth, TweetDeck’s chief executive and founder, said in a statement.
Dick Costolo, Twitter’s chief executive, wrote on the San Francisco-based company’s blog that buying TweetDeck is “an important step forward for us.”
“TweetDeck is a great example of a third-party developer that designed tools for the incredibly important audience of Twitter power-users and, in turn, created value for the network as a whole,” Costolo said.
TweetDeck won’t be moving to the Bay Area anytime soon, Dodsworth said.
“Change may well be inevitable, but we remain the same team, staying in London, with the same focus and products, and now with the support and resources to allow us to grow and take on even bigger challenges,” he said.
