Open Text just announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase UK-based mobile app development platform, weComm, which provides a way to create an app from a single source and use it across a number of different mobile platforms including iOS, Android, Symbian and Blackberry, among others.

Alan Pelz-Sharpe, an analyst with Real Story Group says this move is significant for Open Text because it gives them an app-building engine that customers can use in conjunction with its Web Experience Management tools from Vignette (another piece it purchased).

"The acquisition of weComm should fit nicely with Open Text Vignette's customer engagement products, providing an agnostic app development environment for an exceptionally wide range of mobile devices," he said.

While it doesn't exactly put Open Text in the content creation business, Pelz-Sharpe points out that it makes it much simpler for customers to push mobile content to multiple devices.

Although it appears to be a big win for Open Text Pelz-Sharpe says getting Vignette and weComm cultures lined up could be a challenge. "The big challenge will be integration of the new team and their expertise--weComm are based in London, UK--most of the Vignette team are in Texas, USA..."

According to a statement from Open Text, terms of the agreement were not announced, but the deal is expected to close this quarter.

For more information:
- see the Open Text press release

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