On Tuesday, San Rafael-based 3D design and engineering company Autodesk revealed that it is acquiring 2011-launched mobile social-video startup Socialcam in a $60 million deal.

In a press release pertaining to the acquisition of Socialcam, Autodesk said that the San Francisco-based startup offers a smartphone app and Web-based service which allows the users of iOS and Android devices to capture, edit and share videos. The app - which boasts integration with Facebook and Twitter - has thus far been downloaded over 16 million times, from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

With Autodesk making a strategic shift from traditional desktop-based computing to apps which can be delivered over the Web, the company said that it plans to make investments in the direction of scaling up the Socialcam platform, such that "a more comprehensive set of tools" can be developed for Socialcam users.

In addition, Autodesk also said that it will work on plans to exploit the Socialcam advantages for ensuring a much wider availability of its professional film and video technology in the consumer market.

Noting that the Socialcam acquisition will help Autodesk "bridge the gap between the professional creator and the amateur consumer," Samir Hanna - VP of the Autodesk consumer group - said during the course of a recent interview: "We want to give consumers access to build amazing products."