Categories
Close
Menu
Menu
Close
Search
Search

Featured Articles

News

Facebook to acquire instant messaging app WhatsApp

Mark

Share:

Print

Rate article:

No rating
Rate this article:
No rating

Facebook has agreed to acquire cross-platform instant messaging app WhatsApp for around $16 billion (£9.6 billion). The deal to buy the five-year-old company includes $4 billion in cash and around $12 billion in Facebook shares.

Image

Over 450 million people currently use WhatsApp on their mobile devices each month, with the number of registered users growing at more than 1 million people every day.

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, said “WhatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable. I've known Jan [Jan Koum, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO] for a long time and I'm excited to partner with him and his team to make the world more open and connected.”

WhatsApp will remain as a separate app and a separate brand with its headquarters less than 10 miles away from Facebook in California. Its CEO will join Facebook’s Board of Directors.

Comments

Collapse Expand Comments (0)
You don't have permission to post comments.

Opinion Articles

ExclusiveThe story behind the Pizza Express iPhone app

Mark Bridge writes:

Recently Pizza Express introduced a new iPhone application that lets customers book a restaurant table and pay their bill. The app was developed by 2ergo, a UK company based in Manchester.

Last week I spoke to Colin McCaffery, Product and Technology Director at 2ergo, to find out how difficult it was to get the app and the restaurant's own technology working together.

ExclusiveNew mobile payment mechanism launches... and I don't get it

Mark Bridge writes:

Let's talk mobile payments for a moment. Not using your 'mobile wallet' in shops but simply purchasing something online. Opening your phone's web browser and placing an order. Opening an app and buying an upgraded zombie-killing mega-gun. That kind of thing.

ExclusiveThis week at The Fonecast: 25th June 2011

Mark Bridge writes:

There's been a bit of a location-based theme in the mobile industry this week.

Hardly surprising, with a new report from Pyramid Research saying location-based advertising is becoming increasingly popular – and NAVTEQ revealing that most consumers are happy receiving promotional offers in exchange for free location-related content.

ExclusiveHas Apple just patented the touchscreen?

Mark Bridge writes:

Imagine a mobile phone that can’t be built without the permission of Apple. Impossible?  Unrealistic?  Not necessarily.

This week, Apple was awarded US patent 7,966,578. It's an application that was originally filed at the end of 2007, almost a year after the iPhone was first revealed.

RSS
First6768697072747576Last

Recent Podcasts

ExclusivePodcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

ExclusiveLooking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

ExclusiveA month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

RSS
12345678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Archive Calendar

«June 2026»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
25262728293031
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293012345

Archive