Nokia Acquires Rapid to Boost API Solutions

Nokia continues investing in software that will ultimately enhance its network-oriented products. Today, the company announced it has acquired Rapid’s technology and R&D unit to advance its network API solutions and strengthen its ecosystem strategy.

In case you didn’t know, an API, or Application Programming Interface, allows different software systems to communicate, enabling developers to build applications that interact with networks and devices. This method of communication enhances the functionality of most modern web applications. A good example is any app on your phone that needs to pull information from a company’s server. For instance, if you want to check the weather, the data is most likely stored on the weather bureau’s software system. The weather app “talks” to this system via APIs and shows you daily weather updates on your phone.

Nokia’s integration of Rapid’s API Hub and Network as Code platform will empower operators to monetize 5G and 4G capabilities, offering new consumer, enterprise, and industrial applications. Rapid’s marketplace will give developers seamless API access, expand collaboration with over 27 partners globally and solidify Nokia’s leadership in API lifecycle management.

This acquisition equips Nokia with a powerful API infrastructure that fosters collaboration, broadens its developer ecosystem, enables new operator revenue streams, and strengthens Nokia’s position in the competitive 5G/4G space. Nokia will also benefit from aligning with emerging trends such as network-as-a-service (NaaS) and the convergence of telecom and cloud technologies, making the company a more versatile partner.

Financial details of the agreement, as usual, are not being disclosed.

Source: Nokia