Earlier in December 2012, rumours swirled that Google and messaging application WhatsApp were in talks to discuss the acquisition of the cross-platform messaging service. Rumour also has it that the two companies had even crossed the talking stage, but later we did not get to hear anything about the deal. Now fresh rumours have surfaced online via Digital Trends’ report, which suggests that both Google and WhatsApp are once again having talks to buy out the service, but this time the two companies are looking to determine the price for the acquisition. Sources claim that WhatsApp is looking to push Google hard so it could get a price somewhere around $1 billion.
Here is a piece from the original report:
“Messaging app WhatsApp is in the negotiating phase over prices with Google in what could be Google’s next billion dollar acquisition, according to an inside source.
While the deal started four or five weeks ago, we’ve been told that WhatsApp is “playing hardball” and jockeying for a higher acquisition price, which currently is “close to” $1 billion right now.”
It was reported back in December that Facebook was also interested in buying WhatsApp and the social networking site also had talks with the messaging app to acquire it but about two weeks ago the Wall Street Journal reported that WhatsApp has declined multiple buying offers from big companies like Tencent Holdings, Facebook as well as Google. Nevertheless, now it appears that the search engine giant has once again jumped back into the game and it is now negotiating a price with the cross-platform messaging app, if the above mentioned report turned out to be true.
Recently reports came out that Google is gearing up to launch a new messaging service known as “Babel” which will enable all Google services along with Android and iOS platforms to communicate with each other through this cross-platform. Therefore, it is likely that Google might be looking to acquire WhatsApp so it could get the required assistance from the messaging service, as they are well aware of the technology.
Till January, WhatsApp was managing 18 billion messages during a day and its users are paying the messaging app $1 for its service, as iOS device users pay right away at the time of Download, whereas Android will start paying for the service after their first free year comes to an end.
This January, WhatsApp reported it was now handling 18 billion messages per day, making it one of the biggest cross-platform messaging apps. The popular app was founded by a couple of ex-Yahoo! employees in fall of 2009. In the light of these facts estimates suggests that WhatsApp is earning revenue of $100 million approximately during a year.
Source: iPhoneinCanada, PhoneArena
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