Under Armour buys apps in bid to be top fitness tracker

San Francisco

UNDER Armour Inc, the maker of athletic clothing and gear, is acquiring the MyFitnessPal and Endomondo applications for a total of about US$560 million in a bid to become the world's biggest tracker of fitness information.

The two apps will complement the company's current software - MapMyFitness and UA Record - giving it a total of 120 million users, according to a statement on Wednesday. The company also reported better-than-projected results for the fourth quarter.

The move is part of Under Armour's efforts to lock in customers with technology and services - rather than just shoes and T-shirts. It bought MapMyFitness Inc for US$150 million in 2013, playing catch-up with competitors like Nike Inc, which was a pioneer in ac…