Amazon.com Incorporated said on Thursday that it acquired speech-recognition company Ivona Software, a sign the world’s largest Internet retailer may be looking to develop more services similar to Apple Incorporated’s Siri voice-based search product.
Reuters reported that Amazon did not say how much it paid for Ivona and an Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment on a purchase price.
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.
“We look forward to building great products to deliver world-class voice solutions to customers around the world,” Limp said in a statement.
Apple’s Siri service on its iPhone smartphones lets users ask questions and delivers answers, suggestions or actions. Ivona’s text-to-speech technology on Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD tablets reads Kindle e-books aloud to users.
“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.
Ivona could also help Amazon expand its e-book market to more people with disabilities, such as the blind, Rice added.