Google has upped the ante in its rivalry with Microsoft following the purchase of cloud-based office productivity company Quickoffice.
In separate, but related acquisition news, the web giant has also acquired browser-based instant messaging firm Meebo.
The terms of both deals were not disclosed.
The acquisition of Quickoffice should help make the Google Apps product suite more compatible with various file formats, especially those which are Microsoft Office-based.
Quickoffice offers an easy way to edit and view Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint document for users of smartphones or tablets running Android or iOS, such as the iPhone or iPad.
Google engineering director Alan Warren said the draw of the suite was its "established track record of enabling seamless interoperability with popular file formats".
He added: "We'll be working on bringing their powerful technology to our Apps product suite," Warren wrote. "Quickoffice has a strong base of users, and we look forward to supporting them while we work on an even more seamless, intuitive and integrated experience."
Quickoffice co-founder and CEO Alan Masarek said the purchase would let his company further develop the product. "By combining the magic of Google's intuitive solutions with Quickoffice's powerful products, our shared vision for anytime, anywhere productivity can only grow," he claimed.
Rumours abound that Microsoft is currently building versions of Microsoft Office for iOS and Android devices. Google's purchase of Quickoffice gives the firm a strong lead in mobile productivity suites.
Earlier this week, Google also purchased Meebo, a company offering users the ability to instant message anyone from within a browser via the cloud.
"For more than seven years we've been helping publishers find deeper relationships with their users and to make their sites more social and engaging," Meebo said on its blog.
"Together with Google, we're super jazzed to roll up our sleeves and get cracking on even bigger and better ways to help users and website owners alike."
