• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, July 20, 2012

Sparrow CEO Dom Leca announced on the company's Web site Friday that the Paris-based firm and its five employees would join Google.

Google acquired the e-mail app developer Sparrow, seeking to improve its Gmail service. Sparrow's app works on Apple's iPhone and Macs. It is compatible with Gmail, but does not work on mobile phones powered by Google’s Android operating software.

The Sparrow Gmail client debuted in February, but also supports MobileMe, Yahoo, and other providers. Sparrow costs about $10, and allows app users to gain access to multiple email accounts from one place.

Leca thanked advisors and investors Loren Brichter, Dave Morin, John Maeda, Xavier Niel, Jérémie Berrebi and others who supported the company. He said employees at his company will join the Gmail team to work on "a bigger vision."

Earlier this week, Google launched a service delivering Gmail messages over SMS in emerging markets. The service, called Gmail SMS, supports marketers where smartphone penetration is low and Internet connections unreliable. Google picked Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya as the first three countries.