Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s recent acquisition of smart thermostat maker Nest gives us a hint of just how important smart devices are becoming within the technology industry. Of course with deep pockets Google has, it could end up making even more key acquisitions over the next few years. Writing on Business Insider, Marc Barros speculates on which startup companies Google might be interested in acquiring next.
He notes that hardware is an especially challenging business for startups to be in, but as Nest has shown, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s interest could change that for some companies.
Some hardware companies make good potential targets
FitBit is the first company on Barros’ list. The company makes a smart watch which tracks health data. The company has been focusing its marketing efforts on more than just the technology community, attempting to draw in suburban mothers as well with a number of products which show results from every part of the day, whether the user is sleeping or exercising.
DropCam might be another possible target for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), according to the author. The company is technically a software company, but it also makes a smart video camera which can keep watch over the user’s house or children. He suggests Google might be able to improve its video products with this acquisition.
3D Robotics makes drones, and we already have heard that Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has some interest in this area. If the company becomes a big leader within the drone industry, it could make a great target for Google.
Google could just want other tech too
And then there’s Electric Imp, which, like Nest, was founded by former Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) employees. The company’s focus is on Wi-Fi and making it more accessible to more people. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) might be interested in this technology as well for its wearable devices.
If Google wants to improve its gesture technology, then it might want to buy Thalmic Labs. We’ve seen more and more improvements in gesture controls, but this company might have already made more progress than some of the other companies on the market.
Another possibility is GoPro, which does action video and image capturing. The writer suggests that the user base of this company might be the type of user base Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) loves, particularly because this type of technology is especially technical in nature. Also GoPro has shown some remarkable talent in marketing, which Google might be interested in as it markets Google Glass.
