PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Technology giant VMware in California said Wednesday that it had agreed to buy mobile security and management company AirWatch, for about $1.5 billion.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the AirWatch business was poised to grow and that VMware would move its mobile business from California to Georgia to join the AirWatch unit.
AirWatch, which is privately held and based in Atlanta, Ga., will retain its management team lead by founder and Chief Executive Officer John Marshall, as it becomes part of VMware's End-User Computing group, the companies said in a statement.
"With this acquisition VMware will add a foundational element to our end-user computing portfolio that will enable our customers to turbo-charge their mobile workforce without compromising security," said VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger.
"AirWatch provides best-in-class, secure, enterprise-mobile management to thousands of businesses around the world," Gelsinger said.
"When we started AirWatch, we set out to help businesses succeed in the mobile explosion that was set to come. Now there are more than 2 billion smart phones and tablets in the world and more than half of those devices touch an enterprise," said AirWatch co-founder and chairman Alan Dabbiere in statement.
