Multimap: You Are Here

Joe Wilcox Microsoft's buying spree just doesn't stop. Today, the company announced the acquisition of U.K.-based Multimap.

Multimap is a provider of online mapping and location-based services. Microsoft certainly offers similar services through Windows Live to consumers and MapPoint to businesses. Multimap primarily caters to businesses.

The Multimap acquisition is yet another sign that Microsoft continues the "If we can't build it, buy it" approach to technology expansion. Late last month, Microsoft acquired digital content service provider WebFives.

Microsoft SEC filings indicate there were at least 14 acquisitions during the company's 2007 fiscal year, ended on June 30. Acquisitions include aQuantive, ScreenTonic and Tellme Networks. Microsoft's acquisitions page only lists five acquisitions for fiscal 2007 and two since. Microsoft has acquired at least five more companies, including Multimap, since July 1.

Make no mistake, Microsoft is on a spending spree, and many acquisitions aren't necessarily immediately made public because they are small, private companies. Whether to buy or not is simple math. Microsoft executives do a build-versus-buy cost analysis related to time to market. When there is urgency to get into a market, Microsoft will buy rather than build.

What's interesting here: Microsoft already has built up its core mapping technologies. Multimap does some slick tricks, such as map dragging, through one of three APIs, potentially broadening the customer appeal. Microsoft already offers a Virtual Earth map control API.

There is some good technology here for extending what Microsoft already offers, and the company picks up an attractive and eclectic set of mapping customers.

Multimap will operate as a Microsoft subsidiary, as part of the Online Service group and connected to the Search and Virtual Earth subgroups. Microsoft rightly recognizes the value of local mapping, particularly as people do more local search from cell phones. Location-based services appeal to consumers and businesses. For consumers, there is the need to find nearby businesses. For businesses there is the need to be found, and, for services operations, there is the need to navigate employees from point to point.

I would be remiss in ignoring Google, which continues to advance location-based services.

Small request to Microsoft: Can you do away with those garish banner ads on the Multimap home page?

Related Posts:

• Microsoft Gives WebFives the High Five, Microsoft Watch, Dec. 3, 2007
• Jellyfish: Microsoft Goes Social Shopping, Microsoft Watch, Oct. 2, 2007
• A Little More Blush: Microsoft's Makeover, Microsoft Watch, Oct. 1, 2007
• One Redmond Way | Razorfish, Microsoft Watch, May 21, 2007
• Why Microsoft Wrote aQuantive a Big Check, Microsoft Watch, May 18, 2007
• Microsoft Vies for the Third Screen, Microsoft Watch, May 3, 2007
• DoubleClick and Microsoft's Thrift Culture, Microsoft Watch, April 16, 2007
• Tellme About Dial Tone 2.0, Microsoft Watch, March 15, 2007
• Tell Me What?, Microsoft Watch, March 14, 2007