Opera buys Bemobi, a Netflix-like smartphone app subscription service

You might know Opera more for its data-saving browser but the company wants to create a name for itself in the app industry as well. They just bought Bemobi, a mobile app discovery and subscription service. Much like Netflix, you pay a weekly fee on your phone bill to access as many “premium” apps as you like. It’s a move that’ll help Opera expand in Latin America but there are global plans for the service as well. It’ll still operate under its own name but its English-language marketing site goes by the name Apps Club.

Source: Opera | Via: Engadget

Dropbox buys communication service Clementine

Dropbox looks like they aim to be a full enterprise solution. This time they acquire communication service Clementine. No details about the deal have been disclosed but Clementine users have been given a heads up that they have until August 31 to transition elsewhere.

Clementine offers chat and conference calling features without users having to exchange phone numbers. They can make calls and even join conference calls. This service joins the likes of Mailbox and Snapjoy as acquired Dropbox companies. Perhaps, it won’t be long until we can make calls right from within Dropbox files.

Source: Clementine | Via: The Next Web

Three German carmakers reportedly in talks to buy Nokia’s Here mapping service

Audi, BMW, and Daimler are reportedly in talks with Nokia to buy the company’s mapping service. The deal is estimated to be worth over US$2.71 billion. A source told The Wall Street Journal that Nokia has been talking exclusively with these three car manufacturers. The agreement could be signed within the next few days.

There is a possibility though that the car companies might invite other brands to buy stakes in this. According to the source, the goal is to make the service an open platform for everyone. So they don’t have to rely on third-party platforms like Garmin and Google. Uber was supposedly in talks to buy Here but they gave up on bidding several weeks back. Another possible outcome of the takeover is it’ll help companies develop self-driving cars.

Source: The Wall Street Journal | Via: Apple Insider

Microsoft buys Wunderlist

Productivity software company Wunderlist just got acquired by Microsoft, according to Founder and CEO Christian Reber in a post on Wunderlist’s site. He didn’t specify how much it cost the Redmond-based tech giant to acquire their brand. It looks like things won’t be changing at the moment though. Reber said that their team in Berlin will continue to build Wunderlist, Wunderlist Pro, and Wunderlist for Business on platforms like iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows, and the web. He also promises that new features will be added in the future.

Source: Wunderlist