Google acquires Twitter’s Fabric mobile app developer platform

New York, Jan 19 (IANS) In a bid to help developers build better apps and grow their business, Google has acquired micro-blogging platform Twitter's mobile app developer platform called Fabric.

Twitter launched Fabric as a modular SDK in 2014 to allow developers improve their apps and it now serves apps reaching 2.5 billion users built by 580,000 developers.

Fabric allows users to develop, distribute app and also helps generate revenue by monetising the app with ads.

Fabric will join Google's Developer Product Group working with Firebase team.

"The integration of Fabric is part of our larger, long-term effort of delivering a comprehensive suite of features for iOS, Android and mobile web app development," said Francis Ma, Firebase Product Manager, Google, in a blog post late on Wednesday.

While Fabric was built on the foundation of Crashlytics, the team leveraged its success to launch a broad set of important tools, including Answers and Fastlane.

According to Ma, Crashlytics will become the main crash reporting offering for Firebase and will augment the work that they have already done in this area.

"When the acquisition is complete, Google will begin providing Fabric, Crashlytics, Answers, and associated beta products," added Rich Paret, Vice President of Engineering and General Manager, Fabric.

During the transition period, Digits, the SMS authentication services, will be maintained by Twitter.

The news comes at a time when there are efforts being made to acquire Twitter.

Last year, Salesforce finally decided not to make a bid to buy the struggling micro-blogging website. Earlier, Google, Apple and Walt Disney had also decided not to bid for the website.

According to reports, the acquisition of Twitter -- struggling to add new users amid stalled growth -- may cost over $20 billion. It currently has over 300 million monthly active users.