Telefónica acquires eyeOS

Telefónica said that it has has acquired eyeOS, the Spanish cloud computing start-up widely recognised as pioneering the open-source web desktop.

Telefónica has collaborated with eyeOS since 2010, but this acquisition reinforces its future mobile cloud services plans and the development of free software solutions.

The technology developed by eyeOS will enable Telefónica to offer an open-source desktop virtualisation service (DVS), adding to Telefónica's current cloud software offer with an efficient, affordable solution for SMEs and Public Administrations - a sector heavily reliant on a centralised package of applications.

"The virtualisation of desktops (VDI) offers considerable advantages to both users, who can access all their company's legacy and cloud applications from anywhere and any device, and companies, as it enables them to efficiently manage and simplify the access by their employees to the information and applications," the company said in a statement.

"Telefónica will help eyeOS to not only consolidate and expand its technological proposal, but give it international reach through Telefónica's global network," said Pau Garcia-Milà, co-founder of eyeOS.

"The integration of eyeOS into Telefónica will allow us to harness the technological abilities of a great team and develop a new generation of cloud services based on open technologies. These services define a scalable and affordable proposal that meets the needs of public administrations and SMEs among others," said David del Val, product innovation director at Telefónica and chairman and CEO of Telefónica I+D.

Founded in 2006 in Barcelona, eyeOS will maintain its headquarters in the Catalan city, where their staff will continue to work but will now form part of Telefónica. Pau Garcia-Milà will remain connected to the innovative processes of the company, but will not have a formal role within Telefónica.

After its integration into Telefónica, eyeOS will continue to function as an independent subsidiary, led by its current CEO Michel Kisfaludi.

In the coming months, Telefónica will work on the consolidation and expansion of eyeOS, to extend its commercialisation in Spain and all the countries in which it operates.