Microsoft beats Apple and Google to grab home automation company R2 studios

A few weeks ago it broke that Microsoft, Apple and Google were all trying to woo id8 Group R2 Studios with plans to acquire the home entertainment and automation startup. Well, it seems that Microsoft are the winners.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft has sealed the deal which will see the Redmond giant use R2’s resources, personel and that attractive tech.

R2 is a home automation and entertainment media startup, founded by Blake Krikorian, former founder of Sling Media.

R2 released a product called R2 Control for Crestron which gives your Android device the power to control home automation systems, managing audio visual and home theatre equipment, lighting, thermostats, security and other connected home devices both at home and remotely.

The group holds patents for controlling electronic devices as well as providing the control app for Android, which will be acquired by Microsoft. Krikorian and “a small team” will join Microsoft as employees as part of the deal.

Whether Microsoft has bought the company with plans to add the tech to the new Xbox to increase its family hub status or, for the smarts to be added directly into their Windows platforms is yet to be known but, either way, I am sure we’ll hear something fairly soon.

Let’s see what is said at CES and E3.