Yahoo Acquires TV "Check-In" Company IntoNow To Ramp Up Social Offerings

Yahoo is planning on a splash in the media check-in game with the acquisition of young company IntoNow. The company has only been around 12 weeks, but it already caught the eye of Yahoo, Twitter, and Facebook in the short amount of time. Yahoo was reportedly very adamant about acquiring the company and struck a deal somewhere between $20 to $30 million.

IntoNow works like a combination of Shazam and any type of "check-in" program you've come across, but instead of music, IntoNow listens for the TV show or movie you're watching. The program works by simply tapping the screen and it will take in the surrounding audio to determine what you are watching and you will "check-in" to what you are watching. This is uploaded to a social network and your friends can see what you're watching, and you can see what they're watching. Once uploaded you can even jump to what they're watching if it's live, or if it is on Netflix a link will be given to the title.

The app is limited to the iPhone right now, but the company is working on an iPad and Android version. Since the service is still so new, they are constantly compiling movies and shows, but already have somewhere between 500,000 to one million users. The staff of seven at IntoNow will be folded into Yahoo and the service will probably be integrated across all of Yahoo's properties.

Competing TV check-in services such as GetGlue and Miso may get scooped up by Yahoo rivals, but Yahoo certainly hopes to be a step ahead with this purchase. A social TV platform is a relatively new arena and may be a good place for Yahoo to secure a lead if they can find the right way to integrate. The once popular search and news portal giant has fallen behind in recent years and is attempting to turn itself around. These days it means having to go more social.

[via TechCrunch]