Google’s YouTube buys Directr

[Transcendence]

Google isn’t one to sit and rest on its laurels while other giants buy companies left and right. Today, Google decided to buy small business promotional company Directr. Directr is known for providing video promotional resources to help small businesses advertise with the goal of making businesses successful. Directr users often upload videos to YouTube, Facebook, and even their newsletters, but Directr users will likely start uploading to YouTube more than ever before – as YouTube is buying the company in order to continue climbing up the mobile video platform ladder as it seeks to expand its mobile video business.

 

“Our small band of scrappy film lovers set out 2 years ago to help regular folks make great video. Today, we are incredibly excited to take the next step on that journey and announce that we are joining the video ads team at YouTube,†Directr Team wrote regarding the YouTube announcement today.

 

No details regarding the deal were provided, but the Directr team did give users a reason to celebrate: “One immediate bonus: Directr will soon be free, all the time. Thanks, YouTube!†This is a large change from the current $25-$400 a month pricing the app currently has at the App Store on iOS.

 

While there is no Android app, we’re sure that Google will make one with this new acquisition. We don’t know if the iOS app will remain. Google has now purchased 24 companies this year, including artificial intelligence company DeepMind Technologies, surveillance company DropCam, Nest Labs, satellite company Skybox Imaging, drone manufacturer Titan Aerospace, Internet radio company Songza, and live streaming game company Twitch.

 

Google just announced Android Wear at its I/O 2014 conference at the end of June, and the company now has two Android Wear watches (LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live) along with over 25 apps in the Google Play Store available for the platform. Google also announced its Android One campaign that will build affordable smartphones for under $100 that get the latest Android update from Google’s own Play Store.

 

Google, as the owner of Android OS, is expected to roll out a new Nexus 6 (codenamed “Shamuâ€) in October or November, and Mountain View’s working with Motorola to manufacture the 5.9-inchdevice. The latest Android update, Android L, will come preinstalled at that time but will soon be released to Nexus 5.