Akonix Systems Inc., a vendor of enterprise instant messaging (IM) software, on Monday said it acquired IM application developer Natural Messaging Inc.

Akonix has added the Natural Messaging technology to its flagship L7 Enterprise IM gateway offering, a product used to manage IM use within a company. The combination allows users to add presence and messaging capabilities from multiple IM networks into their applications, Akonix said in a statement. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Akonix and Natural Messaging have been partners for about a year, delivering essentially the same product combination to customers. Now that Akonix has purchased Natural Messaging, customers get the benefit of only having to deal with one vendor, said Akonix Chief Technology Officer Dmitry Shapiro.

Packaging and pricing of the product combination was not announced, but Akonix will likely offer the Natural Messaging technology as an add-on module for L7. Akonix on Monday launched an application developer program so developers can start building applications based on the technology.

Akonix with the IM integration offering follows rival IMlogic Inc., which last month demonstrated a product called IM Linkage that has many of the same capabilities. Over 50 companies are participating in the IM Linkage Early Adopter Program, IMlogic said Monday. IM Linkage is due in the second quarter, the company has said.

IDG News Service

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