Show menu
Home
›
News
›
Google rumored to be buying WhatsApp for $1 billion

Google rumored to be buying WhatsApp for $1 billion

Posted: 07 Apr 2013, 20:00, by Alan F.

Share Tweet Share

Google rumored to be buying WhatsApp for $1 billion


Screenshots from WhatsApp

According to anonymous sources who are said to be close to the negotiations, Google is looking to purchase cross-platform messaging app WhatsApp. According to these sources, the WhatsApp team is pushing hard for a price around $1 billion. The idea is for Google to tie up all of its messaging services in a project called Babel and Mountain View could use the WhatsApp team to help it behind the scenes with the technology. Last summer, Google paid slightly under $25 million to purchase iOS email client Sparrow mostly to pick up some much needed talent on Google's part.

There is no guarantee that a deal between WhatsApp and Google can be hammered out. Last December the two were said to be discussing an acquisition which never made it past the talking stage. At that time, Facebook was also said to be interested in the messaging app. Users of WhatsApp pay $1 for the service with iOS users paying at the time of download while Android users pay after a free first year. Not only is it the second most popular paid app in the Apple App Store, it carried an incredible 18 billion messages on New Year's Eve. Some estimates have the app pulling in about $100 million a year in revenue.

source: AppleInsider

65 Comments

Options
Close Follow › Following
Show comments:

Display mode:

Always view all comments

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:06 15

1. nobelset (Posts: 270; Member since: 17 Oct 2012)

Wow... But isn't a billion dollars too Much?

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 21:22 8

22. AnTuTu (Posts: 1580; Member since: 14 Oct 2012)

Yes it is too much. I think its worth developing their own App.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 01:40 8

40. saiki4116 (Posts: 404; Member since: 31 Mar 2011)

Google will benefit from the existing subscriber base of What's app..

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 10:14 1

61. Abbath (Posts: 99; Member since: 16 Sep 2012)

Why start from scratch in the crowding world of similar apps

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 21:31 1

25. akki20892 (Posts: 3902; Member since: 04 Feb 2013)

they will change some stuff in app and even name i guess.......!!!

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 22:34 2

34. omar300 (Posts: 209; Member since: 24 Jun 2012)

google doesnt do that, they buy stuff for resource not for actual item.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 08:36 3

55. akki20892 (Posts: 3902; Member since: 04 Feb 2013)

let see what they do after own it......!!!

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:09 13

3. Ninetysix (Posts: 2622; Member since: 08 Oct 2012)

Why innovate when you can buy?

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:15 16

6. iushnt (Posts: 2185; Member since: 06 Feb 2013)

Yaa apple have been doing this from the very beginning.. They innovated nothing, just bought licenses and companies and now other companies are doing the same way.. But it doesn't harm us.. :)

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:30 13

11. Timmehor (Posts: 599; Member since: 09 Mar 2013)

Google bought Android :)

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:34 1

12. JunitoNH (Posts: 1934; Member since: 15 Feb 2012)

Bought is a strong word, give it another try.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:37 13

13. Timmehor (Posts: 599; Member since: 09 Mar 2013)

1.Acquire (something) by paying for it; buy.
They bought it, but Google did work hard on developing it.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 22:07 8

28. sifusky (Posts: 2; Member since: 29 Mar 2012)

you think Android could of been what they are today without Google? Doubt it.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 22:27 5

30. Timmehor (Posts: 599; Member since: 09 Mar 2013)

I don't think that at all, I never said that. Google has done an amazing job at branding and developing Android.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 08:37 3

56. akki20892 (Posts: 3902; Member since: 04 Feb 2013)

because of Search Engine

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 00:06 2

36. Hemlocke (unregistered)

Apple was actually founded by guys who made things that others didn't. Google's past? Stolen technology and purchased technology. Take off the rose-colored glasses, dude, your boys at Google aren't miracle workers or saints. If they were, they wouldn't pay the least amount in taxes of any of the top U.S. technology corporations.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 03:47 1

46. Timmehor (Posts: 599; Member since: 09 Mar 2013)

Well the two original Google guy's created the largest simple search engine through carefully calculated mathematical equations. It's amazing how Google has come from a little search engine with a cute multicolored logo to one of the biggest technology companies on Earth. It's the new Microsoft.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 05:55

47. rusticguy (Posts: 2828; Member since: 11 Aug 2012)

And Stole whatever they couldn't buy ... for reasons not within their control.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 00:34 1

38. TechBizJP08 (Posts: 495; Member since: 25 Mar 2013)

More like,if you can't beat them. Buy Them!! xD

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:10 5

4. Taters (banned) (Posts: 6474; Member since: 28 Jan 2013)

Looks like the WP8 version will never be good. Not sure what this means for the bb10 version though. I wonder if they will rename it.

Google what's up? Or Google message? Or Google Messenger? Or Google SMS?

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:21 3

9. johnkob14 (Posts: 8; Member since: 23 Aug 2012)

Make Google voice better hopefully

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 00:37 1

39. Deaconclgi (Posts: 405; Member since: 03 Nov 2012)

gMessage.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:12 8

5. Timmehor (Posts: 599; Member since: 09 Mar 2013)

That's a large amount of money for WhatsApp, too much. If this is true, those developers must be happy. Very happy.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 21:27 3

24. akki20892 (Posts: 3902; Member since: 04 Feb 2013)

maybe unhappy for WP, because google are not allowing their apps on WP platform so if they buy whatsapp then for WP it's not good men.....!!! I hope google support their apps on WP soon.......!!! Evil Google, they r not seeing their users, but they r seeing WP users......!!!

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 00:03 3

35. hate_dc (Posts: 10; Member since: 26 Dec 2012)

bcuz window didnt bring also there apps in in play store...exmple microsoft office...and one more thing window the one who start the war by making news of malware in andriod os.

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 05:56 2

48. rusticguy (Posts: 2828; Member since: 11 Aug 2012)

M$ pumping money into DELL to kill UBUNTU. Why not complain about that ?

posted on 08 Apr 2013, 07:51

52. GadgetsMcGoo (Posts: 168; Member since: 15 Mar 2013)

WP could just put in a Virtual Machine to run Android apps. Problem solved. That could also put down another nail into Apple's iOS coffin. If every other mobile OS starts supporting Google Apps....

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:16 7

7. harsh_doshi (Posts: 36; Member since: 27 Aug 2012)

if this happens ill gladly stop using whatsapp because I am sure it wont get updates on wp8(they don't see enough users) , on Symbian (a part time phone I still like it, and yes it still gets updates from whatsapp) and bb10 (not sure if they see users there) if they do buy it they would again make it only for just 2 platforms(ios and android). I am sorry but I am against this

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 22:31

33. grahaman27 (Posts: 361; Member since: 05 Apr 2013)

its for the greater good.

posted on 07 Apr 2013, 20:39 2

14. JunitoNH (Posts: 1934; Member since: 15 Feb 2012)

I don't believe this story. Just about everything this app can do, Google Voice can do better, much better. GV UI is cleaner and more refine. Moreover, the integration with Android offer for a better experience.

* Some comments have been hidden, because they don't meet the discussions rules.