Google buys Apture to improve Chrome browsing experience

Apture, maker of in-page search technology, has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum. Apture staff will join Google’s Chrome team and work to improve the browser’s user experience, the startup announced Thursday.

“We were impressed by the Apture team’s approach to enhancing the web browser experience, and we think their expertise will complement the Chrome team’s efforts in this area,” a Google spokesperson told VentureBeat.

Apture, founded in 2007, raised more than $4 million in funding to help web denizens discover related content as they browse. The company’s “Highlights” plug-in for publishers lets website visitors highlight text and find related information, videos and maps.

“After enhancing more than a billion pages with our products, we think now is the best time to expand our efforts with another team just down the road that shares our vision of making the web better,” the Apture team said in a note posted to its website. “The modern web is an amazing platform, so stay tuned for even more enhancements to your Chrome browsing experience.”

[via AllThingsD]

[Image via singlebrook]