Google acquires file-sharing app Bump

The startup behind popular smartphone apps for sharing contacts, pictures or other data by "bumping" smartphones together announced on Monday that it has been bought by Google.

Bump Technologies co-founder and chief David Lieb did not disclose terms of the deal bringing his team into the Google fold but leaving its popular Bump and Flock applications available to users.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to join Google," Lieb said in a message at the Bump website.

"Bump and Flock will continue to work as they always have for now; stay tuned for future updates."

The technology website AllThingsD reported the deal was worth between $30 million and $60 million.

The Bump application lets smartphone users easily share data by gently knocking knuckles while holding devices.

Flock software taps into smartphone location-sensing technology to note when friends are in proximity of one another and lets them contribute to sets of photos reflecting shared experiences such as a concerts or sporting events.

"Our mission at Bump has always been to build the simplest tools for sharing the information you care about with other people and devices," Lieb said.

"We strive to create experiences that feel like magic, enabled behind the scene with innovations in math, data processing, and algorithms."

Founded in 2008, venture-backed Bump Technologies is based in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View, which is also home to Google.

"The Bump team has demonstrated a strong ability to quickly build and develop products that users love, and we think they'll be a great fit at Google," the Internet titan said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.