Google Acquiring Widevine

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) has agreed to acquire Widevine Technologies Inc. , the companies announced this afternoon. Terms were not disclosed.

Why this is important
For starters, it's a rare case of Google buying something that Light Reading previously wrote about.

Perhaps more importantly, Widevine would give Google TV a route to monetizing its content, by using DRM to control access to copyright material and to assure media companies their content would be protected. Widevine could also bolster YouTube's video-rental business.

Widevine was already helping over-the-top companies move in a TV Everywhere direction. For example, its technology was being used by Boxee to bring major-studio content into Internet-connected TVs. (Google says it's going to continue serving Widevine's customers, of course.) (See Boxee Eyes Over-the-Top Live TV.)

For more
Since raising $15 million last year, Widevine has been busy announcing deals all over the video map. Here's a partial rundown.

• Cable Adapting to Video's Streaming Future
• Widevine Protects Sling's Streams
• Widevine Locks In Dish 'TV Everywhere' Deal
• Living in an Immaterial World
• DIVA Taps Widevine for TV Everywhere
• Panasonic Prefers Widevine
• LG Taps Widevine for Streaming & DRM
• Widevine Scores Best Buy Deal
• EchoStar Loads Up Widevine DRM
• Widevine Adds Dolby Digital Plus to Web TV
• Samsung Swings With Widevine's DRM
• Widevine Ties Up Web TV Deals
• Funai Taps Widevine for Video Security
• Blockbuster Taps Widevine for VoD Protection
• Widevine Raises $15M

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile, and Craig Matsumoto, West Coast Editor, Light Reading