Google will be adding more offline and private sharing features to their Google+ Photo Service, after their purchase of Odysee. Odysee, is an app which facilitates the automatic backup of photos and videos from cameras to a users home PC.
TechCrunch were first to report that Google had completed the purchase, which was confirmed after Odysee annouced the sale on their website, along with the announcement that the app will discontinue service on February 23rd. Also announced was the integration of the Oydsee team members into the Google+ team, where they will ‘continue to focus on building amazing products that people love’.
A note on the Odysee website along with a notification to app users thanking them for their support along with the details of the shut-down process. Users have until 23 February before the service ends with all photos and videos already passed through the service will then be available as a downloadable archive.
TechCrunch have also noted that the Odysee app has been pulled from Google Play and the company behind Odysee, Nimbuz Inc.’s account has also been removed from Google Play altogether. TechCrunch attempted to contact both Odysee & Google and so far only a spokesperson for Google has responded, advising ‘I can confirm the news and that they’re joining the Google+ team. We aren’t sharing more beyond that at this point’.
Its not exactly clear as to how many users Odysee attracted over the years to its service, the brainchild of Raghavan Menon and Shiva Javalagi who co-founded Nimbuz Inc. Both founders have a background in networking, algorithms, caching and embedded software, while Menon also previously co-founded chip designer Ingot Systems which was acquired by Virage Logic which was then later acquired by Synopsys.
We will have to wait and see what the Odysee team will bring to Google+ photo’s in future given this latest acquisition but it will be exciting none the less.
