In a Monday post on the Google+ social network, Vic Gundotra - SVP of engineering at Google - revealed that the Internet search giant is acquiring Nik Software, the Germany-based developer of popular iOS photo-sharing app Snapseed.

Nik Software is the company behind the iOS Snapseed photography app, which - like the more popular Instagram app that was recently acquired by Facebook - facilitates the users in editing photos, adding filters, and sharing them either through email or on Facebook and Flickr.

The $5-priced Snapseed app was named the `iPad App Of The Year' last year; thanks chiefly to its ingenious multitouch photo-editing interface. The app attracted more than nine million users during its first year of its availability.

Though the Snapseed app is the most notable creation by Nik Software, The Verge has reported - on the basis of information gathered from `inside' sources - that the company has also developed a number of other photography-centric apps, including Color Efex Pro and Dfine for Mac and Windows. Moreover, The Verge sources also disclosed that the company seemingly has an Android app in the works too.

Noting that the integration of Snapseed with Google+ will instantly bring the Google social network "on par with Facebook and Instagram's editing capabilities," Gundotra said in his recent post: "We want to help our users create photos they absolutely love, and in our experience Nik does this better than anyone."