Twitter buys Irish push notification specialist

OpenBack system puts privacy first, Twitter says, and team will now join Bluebird product unit

Twitter described OpenBack as a mobile platform that helps make apps more engaging. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images
Twitter described OpenBack as a mobile platform that helps make apps more engaging. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images

Twitter has acquired Dublin-based start-up OpenBack for an undisclosed price. A notice on the website of the Irish company says it is shutting down as of next week when it will become part of Twitter.

OpenBack was incorporated six years ago and its shareholders are David Shackleton, with an address in Dublin, and Christian Ryder, with an address in Waterford. Enterprise Ireland is also a shareholder as is Ray Nolan's RV7 Venture Holdings Ltd.

In a statement, Twitter described OpenBack as a mobile platform that helps make apps more engaging through device-side control of push notifications.

Unlike conventional push notification software development kits, OpenBack helps mobile apps process data on-device without needing to go through a third-party server, it said. “Its take on push technology puts privacy first and offers an overall improved user experience.”

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The OpenBack team will join Twitter’s Bluebird product team, where they’ll be focused on the notifications product, it said.

“OpenBack will be winding down its business as we bring the team over to Twitter. However, we’ll be working closely with the team to leverage their expertise and core competencies to enhance our notifications work.”

Colm Keena

Colm Keena

Colm Keena is an Irish Times journalist. He was previously legal-affairs correspondent and public-affairs correspondent