Tech Shout!

Internet giant Google Inc. has purchased Swedish company Marratech AB’s Web video conferencing technology and hired its engineering team, the company revealed on Friday.

As for now, Google plans to use the software internally, as a tool for its employees, said a Google spokesman, declining to contemplate whether Google might later try to market the technology or integrate it into one of its commercial products.

In a blog post, Google vice president of engineering Douglas Merrill mentioned, “As a company, we thrive on casual interactions and spontaneous collaboration. So we’re excited about acquiring Marratech’s video conferencing software, which will enable from-the-desktop participation for Googlers in videoconference meetings wherever there’s an Internet connection.”

Marratech is owned by Swedish mutual funds, employees, and founders. The company will continue to operate independently, supporting its customers and resellers following the software’s acquisition, it said on Thursday. However, the software now belongs to Google, so Marratech will not be able to market it anymore, the Google spokesman further added.

Google did maintain that the company’s research and development team will remain in Sweden, however it didn’t reveal any financial terms of the deal with Stockholm-based Marratech AB.