Apple confirms yesterday’s acquisition of startup company Chomp, for the purpose of improving their search tools in the App Store. Chomp currently exists as a web application and an iPhone app, offering users a search tool for new applications that includes personalized recommendations and highlighting of friends’ application picks. The San Francisco-based business announced seed funding in November 2009 and went on to secure a licensing deal with Verizon to power their Android phones’ app searches.
Obviously, that arrangement is subject to change with Apple’s buyout. All 20 or so employees of Chomp are reported to be headed to Apple along with the rights to the search technologies themselves, in a deal worth about $50 million.
Apple’s new purchase comes at a time when the company is counting down to their 25 billionth App Store download, potentially giving a big shot in the arm to their existing search functionality, which many consider inadequate. Of course, it probably also helped Chomp get Apple’s attention by having a couple of high-profile figures as marketing advisers. Chomp signed up both Kevin Rose (of Digg fame) and Hollywood’s Ashton Kutcher for that role.
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