Under Armour buys fitness app startups

SAN FRANCISCO - Athletic clothing maker Under Armour on Wednesday announced it is building its digital muscle with a pair of fitness application makers.

Under Armour said that it is paying US$475 million (S$640 million) for San Francisco-based MyFitnessPal and that it paid US$85 million for Endomondo in Copenhagen.

Under Armour, which has its headquarters in the US city of Baltimore, billed the addition of the companies to its digital platform as the "creation of the world's largest digital health and fitness community." Under Armour bought Austin-based MapMyFitness in late 2013.

The acquisition of Endomondo was completed in early January, while the takeover of MyFitnessPal was expected to be completed by April of this year.

Endomondo created a mobile device application that has been likened to a virtual coach and which can integrate data from some of the popular fitness tracking gadgets on the market.

Endomondo is reported to have approximately 20 million registered users, most of them in Europe.

"Endomondo has built an engaged global community of fitness enthusiasts, providing a strong technical platform for our users, while adhering to our core belief that social interaction and support are key motivators when it comes to getting fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle," Endomondo co-founder and chief executive Mette Lykke said in a release MyFitnessPal is described is designed to promote fit lifestyles and proper nutrition, and boasts having more than 80 million registered users.

"At MyFitnessPal, user success is our true North," said MyFitnessPal co-founder and chief executive Mike Lee.

"Under Armour will bring vast health and fitness expertise and resources to our 80 million users to help guide them as they work to achieve their health goals."

The athletic clothing maker said adding those communities will mean that more than 120 people will be connected to its digital fitness and health platform.