Facebook buys WhatsApp for $19 billion

[archer]

In a play to dominate messaging on phones and the Web, Facebook has acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion.

Source

 

[Lee]

Wow, just Wow, never heard of whatsapp until now. Facebook must consider this company as a big pain in their neck to spent that much money for them.

After posting this reply I received an email (junk) stating I had a voice mail from those who run own this company (didn't open it just deleted it. . .

 

[ThrashZone]

At a dollar a year it doesn't seem to me as much of a money maker ?
Wondering why isp's haven't blocked the service

 

[derekimo]

At a dollar a year it doesn't seem to me as much of a money maker ?
Wondering why isp's haven't blocked the service

That fee is nothing, it's the ad revenue and mined data from users is where the value is.

Why would they block it?

 

[ThrashZone]

My thought was the cell service charges per text message or if on a plan possibly unlimited, but international is another story,
It's their network about the same as Apple's imessaging which is suppose to circumvent the isp's plan,
Seeing as Facebook's messaging is built into the site I can see how they get away with it but this is like an app so I figured it was a different setup,
Even if they use wifi for the messaging your still on the isp's network so it would seem a bit sticky ?

 

[TVeblen]

Does this deal make sense to anyone in a business context? Nineteen billion is just a staggering number. All of the usual reasons for buying a company - crushing competition, data mining, tech grab - make sense, but not at $19 Billion.

I smell a big, fat tech bubble coming....