Google (GOOG) Buys App Maker Bitspin, Timely Alarm Clock Free On Google Play

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has purchased Bitspin, developer of the Timely Alarm Clock for Android phones and tablets. Premium features of the app are now included in a free download in the Google Play Store, formerly on sale for $2.99.

Swiss watches have long been vaunted for their superior craftsmanship, and it appears that Bitspin’s digital counterpart is no different. Android users could see Timely’s features integrated into the system alarm clock in future versions of Google’s free operating system, or Bitspin may develop new products for Google.

Software developer Bitspin announced it was acquired by Google last weekend, stating that it would continue to “build great products that are delightful to use. Bitspin says that Timely will “continue to work as it always has,” but some users complained that they had only recently paid for Timely Alarm Clock’s premium features and were annoyed to see them now available for free in Google Play.

The Timely Alarm app has clocked in somewhere between 1 million to 5 million downloads since its release last August, according to the Google Play Store. With an average user review of 4.4 out of 5 stars, Timely offers Android users a slew of design themes as well as a customization tool for background colors, along with a stopwatch “timer” and countdown functions.

Timely Alarm Clock does not allow users to set alarms using their own music. Instead, Bitspin describes the app as featuring “hand-crafted” sounds. Timely also has a Smart Rise feature that slowly elevates alarm volume, and the option to synchronize alarms in the cloud across Android phones and tablets.

Timely Alarm Clock automatically lowers the alarm’s volume when it’s picked up, and it offers a “turn to snooze” function for those not quite ready to get out of bed. For those who struggle to wake up to normal alarms, Timely, like many smartphone alarm apps, offers alarm options that make it more difficult to turn off, including math puzzles and a shape-matching game. Timely for Android also offers a homescreen widget and Google Now integration.

In related news, Pandora Internet Radio (NYSE:P) updated its Android app with alarm clock functionality. The feature arrived for iPhone (iOS) users in December.

Follow Thomas Halleck on Twitter @tommylikey