The largest software giant in the world seems to be doing its best to copy Apple in becoming a whatever-you-want company for consumers: it turned out that Microsoft has recently bought start-up id8 Group R2 Studios. The latter was launched two years ago by investor Blake Krikorian. It became known worldwide a while ago for releasing an Android app which allowed users to control home heating and lighting systems from their smartphones.

Local media confirm that this move means Microsoft is going to expand further in technology focused on the home and entertainment. Blake Krikorian is also known for Sling Media which produced the “Slingbox” for watching TV on PCs. Blake resigned from Amazon’s board less than a month after about 1.5 years as a director at the company.

Now he is expected to join the software giant with a small team, and this might be the real reason of his resignation. In case Microsoft is planning a Walled Garden setup, it would definitely make it a direct rival to Amazon. The software giant has also purchased patents owned by id8 Group R2 Studios which related to controlling electronic devices.

In the meanwhile, the deal hasn’t been announced yet, and both Krikorian and Microsoft keep silence about it.