Amazon.com Inc said on Thursday it acquired text-to-speech technology company Ivona Software, a sign that the world’s largest Internet retailer may be looking to develop more services similar to Apple Inc’s Siri voice-based search product.<\/p>\n
An Amazon spokeswoman declined to say how much the company paid for Ivona.<\/p>\n
Ivona’s technology already supports several features on Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet computers, such as text-to-speech, said Dave Limp, who oversees the Kindle business.<\/p>\n
“We look forward to building great products to deliver world-class voice solutions to customers around the world,” Limp said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Apple’s Siri service on its iPhone smartphones allows users to ask questions and it delivers answers, or suggests possible actions. Ivona’s text-to-speech technology on Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD tablets reads Kindle e-books aloud to users.<\/p>\n
“The Ivona acquisition could provide some technology on the Kindle to compete with Siri, although I would argue that Siri has not been all that was expected of it so far,” said Kerry Rice, an analyst at Needham & Co.<\/p>\n
Ivona could also help Amazon expand its e-book market to more people with disabilities, such as the blind, Rice added.<\/p>\n
Ivona already works with organizations that support visually impaired people, including the Royal National Institute of Blind People.<\/p>\n
Amazon shares rose 2.2 percent to $274.15 in afternoon trading on Thursday and hit a record $276.65 in earlier action.<\/p>\n
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