Cisco Buys Product Development Specialist

Networking giant Cisco is to acquire privately-held design consulting firm MOTO Development Group for an undisclosed sum.

Based in San Francisco, the MOTO team helps develop and refine innovative products, and has previously worked on Flip, Cisco's digital camcorder product line. MOTO's consultants, numbering more than 35, will now become part of the Cisco Consumer Products team led by SVP and General Manager Jonathan Kaplan.

Cisco says MOTO's philosophy of delivering 'transformational product experiences that delight consumers' directly aligns with its own, and adds: 'Like the acquisition of Pure Digital in 2009, the acquisition of MOTO is another step toward embedding consumer design and ease of use into Cisco products for the consumer market.'

Kaplan comments: 'MOTO's design and engineering teams have deep consumer expertise that will accelerate our ability to continue to deliver great products and expand Cisco's consumer business.'

The acquisition is subject to closing conditions and is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of Cisco's fiscal year 2010.

Web sites: www.cisco.com and www.moto.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.