UPDATED 22:33 EDT / FEBRUARY 11 2015

Microsoft said to have acquired calendar app maker Sunrise for $100 million NEWS

Official: Microsoft confirms acquisition of calendar app maker Sunrise

Microsoft said to have acquired calendar app maker Sunrise for $100 millionMicrosoft has officially confirmed that it has acquired Sunrise Atelier Inc., the maker of the Sunrise calendar application.

The acquisition price was not disclosed, but was rumored to be around $100 million when news of the acquisition first surfaced February 5th.

Sunrise offers a suite of calendar products for both mobile and desktop users that connects with and syncs to calendars from Google, iCloud, and Microsoft Exchange, offering an all-in-one hub solution on top of its core calendar offering. The app is available for iOS, Android, and the Mac App Store, as well as a web client.

Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Outlook and Office 365 Rajesh Jha said on The Official Microsoft Blog that Microsoft made the acquisition because they “believe a reinvention in the way people use calendars on mobile devices is long overdue.”

“Our goal is to better help people manage and make the most of their time in a mobile-first, cloud-first world.”

Jha said that the Sunrise app, by connecting a calendar with a range of services, provides a far better view of the day, week or month ahead.

The good news for Sunrise fans is that the app isn’t going anywhere, with Microsoft confirming that the Sunrise app will remain available and free after the acquisition is finalized.

The Sunrise team confirmed the ongoing availability of the product, saying that with the startup moving to Microsoft they would continue to build an amazing team that was dedicated to building “the best product to help you manage your time.”

New York-based Sunrise Atelier Inc. was founded in December 2012 and had raised $8.2 million prior to acquisition over three rounds that included SV Angel, Box Group, 500 Startups, NextView Ventures, Slow Ventures and others.

It’s a clever buy for Microsoft at a time they’re attempting to strengthen their own application offering for Windows devices, and also trying to extend their cloud based ecosphere across all types of devices, including those running Android and iOS.

Sunrise is much loved by its users, and with Microsoft’s money backing it, the future looks bright, for both Sunrise itself and Microsoft’s efforts to extend its reach into new markets.

Image credit: Sunrise. 


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