Twitter buys Mixer Labs to enhance geolocation services

Twitter has enhanced geolocation services provided on its messaging service by buying Mixer Labs, the company said on Wednesday.

Mixer Labs' GeoAPI is a service that helps developers build geolocation-aware applications for the Twitter service, a Twitter official wrote in a blog entry. Software using the service will allow Twitter users to tag the location where a message was written.

Developers will be able to harness the GeoAPI engine to add relevant location information to Twitter messages. Such a service could help audiences receive Twitter messages based on location, the company wrote.

Adding location-based references could also enhance services like finding friends or local businesses, the company wrote. Users will also be able to search where an event is happening.

In August the company previewed expanded location support for developers, and last month the company launched a geotagging API for its service.

Twitter did not immediately respond to comment on how much it paid for Mixer Labs.

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