Microsoft Acquires Perceptive Pixel

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Monday announced the acquisition of Perceptive Pixel, a multi-touch interface provider for workstations and walls. The announce was delivered as Ballmer was speaking at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto.

According to Kurt DelBene, president of the office division for Microsoft:

“The acquisition of PPI allows us to draw on our complementary strengths, and we’re excited to accelerate this market evolution PPI’s large touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration.”

Perceptive Pixel was founded in 2006 and since that time has quickly become a leader in the development of large-scale, multi-touch devices. The best example of the company’s technology was witnessed when CNN implemented large touchscreen based displays to track the 2008 U.S. presidential elections.

Microsoft has shown a keen interest in Perceptive Pixel since March when the two companies partnered to create the worlds largest HD display touchscreen for the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The display incorporated optically bonded Gorilla Glass across an 82-inch panel.

How Microsoft will integrate Perceptive Pixel’s technology and staff into the fold is still unknown.

Financial terms for the acquisition have not been revealed at this time.

In the meantime Microsoft also took some time on Monday to announce that Windows 8 will be sent to manufacturers in August and the new OS will be ship-read for October 2012. By releasing Windows 8 just before the holiday shopping season Microsoft likely hopes to grab some holiday sales away from Apple, Amazon and other tablet competitors.