Facebook just bought WhatsApp for $16 billion!
- Thread starter Kid_Eternity
- Start date
is it worth that much? I cant see how...
TheHoodedClaw
acknowledging ur soup leg
$19 billion really, if it goes through. It's all very bubbly isn't it.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
I still don't know what WhatsApp is 
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Huge deal! WA is massive and was clearly on course to beat Facebook in terms of users (it's halfway there already and growing insanely fast).
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I still don't know what WhatsApp is
Messaging app for smartphones.
mack
Fact Me Till I Fart
Not sure they'll "fuck it right up"! - they'll probably have some kind of integration with their own messaging app.
They haven't really done anything with Instagram - I think this was more of a keep Google from acquiring it move.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Slightly extreme reaction by the Editor there. Instagram has been owned by FB for some time and isn't fucked up.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
LOL and if Google bought it you'd be saying this was the best thing since sliced bread!
TruXta
tired
With the amount they're reportedly paying for it they've gotta monetize it somehow.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Isn't that what they said about Instagram?
TruXta
tired
I dunno. How much did they pay for that?
e2a wiki says 1 billion. BIIIIIG difference
Ax^
Silly Rabbit
LOL and if Google bought it you'd be saying this was the best thing since sliced bread!
well its still better than another thread about the dire state of Nintendo share price ..
They'll integrate it with Facebook Home (iirc - their smartphone skin / crapware thing that they have evil plans for)
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Zuckerberg: "I don't think that ads are the right way to monetize messaging systems."
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Not really, everyone flipped out when they bought that for that amount and asked exactly the same question. A year or so later and nothing has come of all the panic.
TruXta
tired
I do wonder how the TOS scandal with Instagram happened tho. Coincidental that it came so soon after the FB takeover?
Either way - from the WhatsApp blog.
"Today we are announcing a partnership with Facebook that will allow us to continue on that simple mission. Doing this will give WhatsApp the flexibility to grow and expand, while giving me, Brian, and the rest of our team more time to focus on building a communications service that’s as fast, affordable and personal as possible.
Here’s what will change for you, our users: nothing."
Ok. Let's see.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
But what kind of messages? Is it like sending text messages to your mates, Facebook updates to your 'friends' or tweeting to all and sundry?
TruXta
tired
Text, images, video and sound files ++. It's just an easier interface than SMS IMO, especially for group messages. It's linked to your phone number, no accounts needed anywhere else.But what kind of messages? Is it like sending text messages to your mates, Facebook updates to your 'friends' or tweeting to all and sundry?
Lazy Llama
Suburban robots that monitor reality
That's a lot of money for a company who made around $60m profit last year and who, if they stick with their current fees, can only make $1 per user per year.
What's the population of the earth?
What's the population of the earth?
TruXta
tired
6 billion. Or is it 7? Either way. That said, how many active mobile phone numbers are there? Surely more than global pop.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
(I should probably stop being lazy and just google the fucker 
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
It'll be kept independent apparently. I love whatsapp, and facebook. I hardly ever do sms anymore, just whatsapp.
I just wish facebook would get with gmail's model and allow you to see seperate streams of information independent of each other rather than the current melee of friends, news, music, and other stuff all rolled into one continuous news feed.
I just wish facebook would get with gmail's model and allow you to see seperate streams of information independent of each other rather than the current melee of friends, news, music, and other stuff all rolled into one continuous news feed.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
Almost as if all of the figures in this industry involve utterly imaginary money, unconnected to anything real at all.
I wouldn't mind if they just used their own currency for all of this rather than taking the piss out of real people.
According to the filing, Facebook has agreed to pay $12 billion in stock and $4 billion in cash for the company. Facebook has also agreed to pay an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to WhatsApp's founders and employees as part of the deal, which would bring the total deal price to about $19 billion.
In paying the bulk in facebook stock they are using their own currency really. There will probably be some kind of restrictions on when they can sell the facebook stock too.
A mad amount of money though and I think FB are aware that their stock is in a vulnerable position and trying to diversify and spread the load as much as possible.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I thought 1 Billion for Instagram was mad. It is bonkers money.
pinkychukkles
Feed Your Head
My heart sank upon just seeing this headline, even if nothing changes to the functionality of the app, surely all the data (addresses, friends, all conversations) WhasApp will now be mined, dissected, analysed and stored by Facebook in their personal file that they have on me 
. </tinfoil hat>
. </tinfoil hat>Similar threads
