Amazon buys text-to-speech software company Ivona

Amazon.com has acquired speech-recognition company Ivona Software, a sign the world’s largest Internet retailer may be looking to develop more services similar to Apple’s Siri voice-based search product.

Amazon did not say how much it paid for Ivona and an Amazon spokesman declined to comment on a purchase price.

Ivona’s technology already supports several features on Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet computers, such as Text-to-Speech, said Mr Dave Limp, who oversees the Kindle business.

“We look forward to building great products to deliver world-class voice solutions to customers around the world,” Mr Limp said in a statement.