That was fast. IntoNow launched a TV check-in app in January, and today Yahoo acquired the company for anywhere from $13 to $30 million, depending on which report you believe.
As we’ve been reporting, IntoNow is the first check-in app that listens to your TV set and identifies the show you’re watching. By “tagging” shows this way, you see what your friends are watching and share recommendations.
But the most interesting part of IntoNow was announced last week — through a partnership with Pepsi, you can tag a commercial to win a coupon for a free 20-ounce Pepsi Max. Suddenly, IntoNow crossed into new revenue territory. And here comes Yahoo to give it much-needed scale.
“The IntoNow application the team has built clearly demonstrates the opportunities the technology presents across Yahoo!’s network, especially in regards to our video content, search, mobile and Connected TV experiences,” said Yahoo’s Bill Shaughnessy in a press release. “We are excited to have the IntoNow team join Yahoo! as we continue to build out these experiences.”
A very interesting development in the social TV space that signals the demand for companies that have shown promise in bridging the TV-second screen gap.