Sundar Pichai claims Google never attempted to buy WhatsApp

posted by Michael H. / Feb 26, 2014, 5:46 PM

Sundar Pichai claims Google never attempted to buy WhatsApp

Last week, we heard the news that Facebook had agreed to pay an astonishing $19 billion in cash and stock in order to acquire mega-popular messaging app WhatsApp. In connection with those reports were rumors that Google had also attempted to purchase WhatsApp in order to keep it out of Facebook's hands, but Google's Android/Chrome chief Sundar Pichai is saying that isn't true.

According to two separate reports from last week, Google either offered WhatsApp $10 billion to acquire the company, or possibly even offered to beat Facebook's $19 billion offer. But, those reports are "simply untrue" says Sundar Pichai. On the matter, Pichai said:

WhatsApp was definitely an exciting product. We never made an offer to acquire them. Press reports to the contrary are simply untrue.

If Pichai is telling the truth, it begs a very big question: Was anyone bidding against Facebook? When a purchase price gets to the level of almost $20 billion, it seems reasonable to assume that there was bidding going on. Especially given that WhatsApp was only valued at about $1.5 billion in the last round of funding before Facebook acquired it. The gap between the valuation and purchase can't be explained by generosity on Facebook's part, so either there was a bidding war between Facebook and another company, or Pichai isn't being honest here.

source: The Telegraph

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9 Comments

1. fireblade

Posts: 717; Member since: Dec 27, 2013

Buy LINE !!!

posted on Feb 26, 2014, 5:58 PM 1

2. karim77

Posts: 70; Member since: Dec 10, 2012

I simply don't believe him,google never misses a chance of buying a company that is worth their money,but in this case facebook were really serious and they bought whatsapp for a huge amount (and it would be crazy if google went with over 19 billion to buy whatsapp)

posted on Feb 26, 2014, 6:05 PM 0

6. sprockkets

Posts: 1612; Member since: Jan 16, 2012

Google already has gtalk, hangouts, voice, what does whatsapp give them? Nothing but users which they already have on android.

posted on Feb 26, 2014, 9:53 PM 0

7. Blazers

Posts: 779; Member since: Dec 05, 2011

Those are active users, unlike hangouts. Yes you automatically have hangouts when you create a Google account, but the majority don't actively use hangouts as their messaging service especially outside of the US.

posted on Feb 26, 2014, 11:53 PM 0

9. microsoftnokiawin

Posts: 1268; Member since: Mar 30, 2012

facebook has messenger what's your point ?

posted on Feb 27, 2014, 2:30 AM 0

3. sipha

Posts: 440; Member since: May 12, 2012

I never believed the $10 billion and the one about toping FB jaw dropping offer... But i also dont believe google didnt make an offer at all.. They must have put up atleast $1 billion, am sure of it!!

posted on Feb 26, 2014, 6:42 PM 0

4. stealthd unregistered

What's with the skepticism on this? Why would they lie? There's nothing there but speculation. There's unconfirmed third-party rumors vs a semi-official statement from Google, who's more reliable?