BEIJING, Dec. 2 -- Microsoft has acquired a San Francisco-based startup, whose free smart email app Acompli is becoming popular with mobile phone users.

Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's corporate vice president, said in a blog post on Monday that this acquisition is part of the company’s effort to help people accomplish more with their mobile devices.

The app is designed to allow users to "attach files easily, swipe to delete or defer emails, and schedule meetings effortlessly with a fully integrated calendar," according to the makers of Acompli Email, the free app for iOS and Android devices. It also makes it possible to find important information, and open attachments and files more easily.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but it is reported that Microsoft paid more than 200 million U.S. dollars for the mobile email company.

Productivity has been a prevailing theme at Microsoft this year. The company brought its Office suite to iOS devices earlier this year and recently released them to Android users for free.

(Agencies)