Google has bought children’s apps developer Launchpad Toys for an undisclosed amount, in a deal that may well be related to its plans to launch a new version ofYouTube aimed at kids.
The San Francisco-based developer, which made the Toontastic series of apps,announced the acquisition on its website.
"We’re proud to announce that our little toy company is pairing up with a great big team of tinkerers to empower GAJILLIONS of playful storytellers around the world," explained Launchpad Toys.
"Launchpad Toys is joining Google to create even more amazing creativity tools for kids. Today, we’ve made our digital toys and tools free to creative kids everywhere. Tomorrow... well, we can’t wait to share."
Toontastic is the umbrella brand for a series of creative storytelling apps for children, which so far have only been released for iOS devices, rather than those running Google’s Android software.
The main Toontastic iPad app got children to create their own cartoons by choosing scenery, and moving characters around while recording their voices telling stories. Launchpad Toys also released a spin-off Toontastic Jr. Pirates app, and branded versions based on the Shrek and Kung Fu Panda films.
However, another of its apps – TeleStory – seems much more relevant to Google deciding to buy the company. Released in October 2014, it encourages children to “write, direct, and star in your own TV show” by choosing a theme, writing a script and then filming themselves performing.
The app launched with its own online community called ToonTube, with children able to upload their videos to share them with others. Launchpad Toys is now shutting ToonTube, asking parents to download their children’s videos by 4 March.
ToonTube was essentially a mini-YouTube where all the videos were created by children, with Launchpad Toys also providing the tool – TeleStory – used to make those videos. Google buying the company is a big hint at its ambitions to do more with children’s videos on YouTube.
Those ambitions were the subject of frequent speculation in 2014, first in March with a report that Google was developing a version of YouTube for under-10s with strict moderation on videos and comments, and then in October when the company advertised for a new position as head of family entertainment.
Some of the most popular channels on YouTube are already aimed at children. Toy-unboxing channel DC Toys Collector and Minecraft gamer Stampy were its second and fourth most popular channels in 2014 with 3.3bn and 2.2bn views respectively.
Children’s nursery rhymes channel Little Baby Bum was also one of the biggest channels on YouTube by the end of the year, with an array of musical and animation channels for kids also building large audiences on the platform.
All these channels will figure prominently if YouTube does launch a separate version of its service for children, although the sensitivities around advertising, data collection and moderation would ensure intense scrutiny for such a venture.
However, Google’s acquisition of Launchpad Toys hints at ambitions to get more children creating and sharing videos rather than just watching them.
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