Google enters the video conferencing market

Google has purchased Swedish video conferencing company Marratech, possibly with the goal of adding a video conferencing application to Google Pack or Google Apps.

Unlike several competing video conferencing applications, Marratech requires a desktop download. Clients are available for PC and Mac users. This would hardly be the first desktop application from Google, which already offers the Google Desktop search program and the Picasa picture organizing software.

But it would also be interesting to see Google tie video conferencing into its online office suite, allowing users to discuss documents, spreadsheets, and presentations all from a single web-based interface.

No word on when Google will launch its video conferencing application or how much it will resemble Marratech's current offering.

Tags: marratech, video conferencing, VideoConferencing