Google buys mobile app developer Clever Sense

Internet search giant Google has acquired mobile application developer Clever Sense for an undisclosed amount.

Internet search giant Google has acquired mobile application developer Clever Sense for an undisclosed amount.

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Clever Sense is known for its 'Alfred' application, a location-based, personalised restaurant and bar recommendation application. The application is available on iPhones and smartphones using Google's Android mobile operating system.

"We are excited to join Google and start a new chapter in curating the world around us. Together with the Google team, we will accelerate our efforts toward this shared vision," Clever Sense Co-Founder and CEO Babak Pahlavan said in a posting on the company website.

"Google helps local businesses connect with potential customers and its worldwide presence can bring the value of Clever Sense to a much larger audience," he added.

Google has been strengthening its local offerings for quite sometime. It acquired restaurant ratings publisher Zagat -- which provides people with a comprehensive view of where to eat, drink, stay, shop and play worldwide, based on millions of reviews and ratings -- in September.

Discovering local information is extremely important to both users and businesses and the acquisition of Clever Sense will benefit both, Pahlavan said.

"With Google and Clever Sense working together, our entire team looks forward to building more intelligent, serendipitous and magical services," he added.

In the first nine months of this year, Google completed the acquisition of 57 companies for a total of USD 502 million. This exceeds Google's previous annual record of 44 purchases, which was achieved last year. The company spent cash worth USD 669 million on acquisitions in 2010.

Google is estimated to have acquired over 100 firms in the past decade, translating into the purchase of 10 companies a year on average.