Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com and Tumblr, has expanded its portfolio with a significant acquisition. The company has purchased Texts, a unified messaging application, for a whopping $50 million. This move marks Automattic’s entry into the messaging market, adding a new dimension to its existing services.
Texts is a unique platform that allows users to manage multiple messaging accounts including iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Slack and Discord from a single interface. The service is available for a monthly subscription of $12.50.
In addition to unifying multiple messaging platforms into a single interface, Texts offers several advanced features. These include AI-generated responses and summaries, Gmail-style labels, keyboard shortcuts, snoozing and send later options, stealth mode, and group chat summaries.
Matthew Mullenweg, the founder of Automattic, views this acquisition as a strategic move towards establishing messaging as the third major pillar of Automattic’s services, alongside publishing and e-commerce. He believes in supporting all standards of messaging rather than forcing users into one specific platform.
A key feature of Texts is its strong focus on user data security. Unlike its competitors, Texts does not store user data on its servers. Instead, it operates on an end-to-end encryption model where messages are simply relayed without retention. This approach aligns with Mullenweg’s emphasis on user privacy.
Mullenweg anticipates that the current regulatory environment will be favorable for Texts. He suggests that larger tech companies may find it challenging to block Texts due to its user-centric approach and strong encryption.
Automattic has also committed to bringing an Android version to customers, and an iOS app is already being developed. The service’s founder, Kishan Bagaria, will join Automattic as the company’s new Head of Messaging.
Texts ensures that sensitive data like messages and credentials stay on-device, thus preserving end-to-end encryption across the supported platform.
Looking ahead, Automattic sees a significant future in messaging as online interactions shift from public social networks towards group chats. The company is also considering offering a free but limited version of Texts in the future.
With this acquisition, Automattic has made a bold move into the messaging market. It remains to be seen how this will shape the future of online communication.
