Today Google announced on their blog that they had acquired Endoxon, a Swiss-based geo mapping company. Endoxon developed map.search.ch in 2004, and most recently local.ch. So what exactly does Endoxon do? According to Google:
"Endoxon has been working on a technology called "blue", that will work worldwide. "blue is visualized information on the web. blue is the clever linking of a world map server, a search engine and a GIS. blue is a high-quality, comprehensive points- and map server, a virtual worldwide marketplace, a search and services platform. The user can search for information or he can visualize his own collected information. The download of selected blue data onto the mobile phone is possible. But blue is not only a vision. Its reality: Endoxon has been collecting, enhancing and geo referencing worldwide satellite and aerial images for a couple of years now."
Google has acquired not only Endoxon's internet, but also their data processing, and mapping sectors. They expect that the acquisition will help to improve the functionality of Google Earth and Google Maps in Europe, as well as leverage their analysis capabilities.