Facebook just entered into an agreement tobuythe hugely popular message app , which latterly passed the milestone of450 million combat-ready monthly users . The cost ? $ 16 billion ( more on the price below ) . Wow .
Wait…How Much?
accord to the release , the leverage terms is $ 4 billion in cash , $ 12 billion in Facebook stock , plus another $ 3 billion in qualified origin given to the founders and employees , which vests after four years . If you see a $ 19 billion phone number swim around out there , that ’s why . In other words , everyone who work for the troupe now has a huge incentive to stay put on — and it show that Facebook is concerned in the talent that worked on the inspection and repair , in plus to the platform itself .
What the heck is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is a cross - platform messaging service that works oniOS , Android , Blackberry , Windows Phone , and yes , even Nokia ’s dyingSymbianOS . It ’s basically message that works over your data connective or Wi - Fi instead of SMS — much like iMessage , except it works for everything . WhatsApp does multimedia , it does group chat , and it ’s wide used internationally . It ’s innocent for the first year , and then just $ 1 per year after that .
concord to the Facebook release , WhatsApp has 450 million active monthly substance abuser and is adding one million users per daylight . That ’s an telling clip .
Why Does Facebook Want WhatsApp?
Facebook has been trying to nail down messaging for some metre now . There were hearsay that Facebook extend Snapchat $ 3 billion in cash , which only happened after Facebook tried to build its own interpretation of Snapchat . Facebook Messenger is really a skillful intersection that works over information internationally , much like WhatsApp . regrettably , the great unwashed do n’t utilise it , or rather , it ’s not incorporated into people ’s lives in the style text messaging is — and that ’s what Facebook needs . What ’s more , given Facebook ’s huge international orbit , try out to edge out competitors on that front is a really saucy move .
What’s Going to Change?
According toa web log poston WhatsApp ’s website , absolutely nothing . Here ’s what co - founder Jan Koum had to say on the topic :
WhatsApp will persist autonomous and operate independently . you could continue to delight the armed service for a titular fee . you’re able to continue to use WhatsApp no matter where in the world you are , or what smartphone you ’re using . And you’re able to still matter on perfectly no ads interrupting your communication . There would have been no partnership between our two company if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our troupe , our vision and our product .
Do you use WhatsApp ?
Top nontextual matter by Michael Hession
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