One of the key players in the app testing market has made a serious statement of intent by announcing a change of its name, a purchase of a key rival and an expansion into Berlin.
US firm uTest has reportedly sealed a deal with German crowdtesting company Testhub to strengthen its offering. This has been financed in part by the $43 million taken in a Series E funding round earlier this year – its case supported by a 4,000% growth in four-year revenues.
However, the acquisition of Testhub is not the only thing that uTest has released to the press. In a wave of huge updates from its camp, the company has also stated that it will be changing its name to Applause and basing its main operation at Testhub’s HQ in Berlin.
Changing face
Applause is reported to have over 100,000 members signed up to its service, while its new purchase boasts a member count in the region of 140,000.
Both systems offer a similar type of service, whereby professional app testers can share their knowledge of program development through discussions and earn money by participating in various testing projects.
Applause also offers university courses for testers that wish to hone their skills as well as notifications for events and a database for app reviews.
Testhub on the other hand is a dedicated product testing community, which enables new programs to be trialled under real conditions by real consumers and their devices.
The relocation to Berlin can be explained by Testhub’s current offices in the German capital, although the name change has come as a genuine surprise.
According to Matt Johnston, chief marketing and strategy officer at Applause, the company decided on a rebrand while developing its new 360 degree app quality dashboard. The new feature allows site members to manage a suite of app quality tools and analytics to tweak their programs.
Expansion
Applause co-founder and CEO, Doron Reuveni, added that its new purchase will help the company expand into Europe in a big way.
“We’re looking at Germany and Berlin as a technology hub to manage central Europe,” he added.
Testhub users have been assured that any agreements they have with the company will not be affected, while Applause’s move into Berlin will mean clients can maintain contact with the exact people they have been working with in recent years.