Wyse acquires Rapport software with purchase of rival

Thin client device builder Wyse has acquired its smaller rival Netier.

Netier markets thin client solutions under the labels Citrix and NetXpress. But the key acquisition in Netier's portfolio was Rapport, a system for managing thin client devices remotely. This marks a departure for Wyse, which has previously focused on producing thin client systems. The company expects to receive revenues from selling the Rapport software, which could form the basis of an expansion to other devices, such as cellphones and PDAs. Mark Lillycrop, research director at IT analysts Xephon, said: "Wyse have good very good products, but the argument [in favour of thin client devices] is becoming increasingly hard to put when you're just talking about desktops." "It's one of those products that sits in a strategic niche, and suddenly you see how it fits into the whole picture," he added.