Uber Inc. is shoring up its mapping capabilities by acquiring parts of Microsoft’s Bing division, a move that will give the ride-sharing service control of a Longmont data center and a 50-person office in Boulder.

TechCrunch reported Monday afternoon that Uber purchased some Bing assets, including units specializing in image collection and map data analysis. The assets also include cameras, software and intellectual property licenses, officials for Microsoft told The Denver Post.

Uber officials confirmed the transaction but declined to provide details.

“We’re excited about the talent and technology this acquisition brings,” Uber spokeswoman Trina Smith said in an e-mailed statement. “Mapping is at the heart of what makes Uber great.

“So we’ll continue to work with partners, as well as invest in our own technology, to build the best possible experience for riders and drivers,” she wrote.

Uber has made moves to decrease its reliance on mapping software from heavy-hitters such as Google and Apple.

Earlier this year, San Francisco-based Uber acquired deCarta, a mapping software firm. Last month, Uber threw its hat — and up to $3 billion — in the bidding ring for Here, a competitor of Google Maps, the New York Times reported.

Uber’s Colorado office is in Denver’s River North neighborhood. The San Francisco-based company employs about 3,000 people overall.

Microsoft acquired Boulder-based remote-sensing firm Vexcel Corp. in 2006 and expanded from that base. The company will continue to maintain a presence in Boulder, officials said.

Alicia Wallace: 303-954-1939, awallace@denverpost.com or twitter.com/aliciawallace