The whole of online world is abound with the buzz and the subsequent denial that Google is in the market, actually talking to, WhatsApp to take it over.
If the denied (by Neeraj Arora of WhatsApp) deal goes through, it will be the next biggest acquisition by an internet major after Facebook's takeover of Instagram.
In December 2012, there were similar speculations that Facebook was in talks to acquire WhatsApp. The latest rumour is that WhatsApp is playing harball - even though the acquisition price is said to have touched $1 billion.
WhatsApp Messenger is cross-platform - a mobile messaging app that allows exchange of messages without having to pay any charge, at least for the 1st year of use. What’s interesting is the fact WhatsApp works in iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Android (Nokia too if you want to classify it as something different). Thus it has become the most popular messaging service across the world, jousting with BlackBerry’s BBM messenger service.
At 17 billion messages (7 billion inbound and 10 billion outbound) transmitted daily through WhatsApp, and with ~100 million Android users currently, we can well believe the hype. Have to remind ourselves that Android as per latest surveys dominates the mobile market with 70% share.
Let us leave the speculation (about acquisition) aside and look at what is really up if (or should we say when) Google acquires WhatsApp?
It is like marrying SMS and twitter with Facebook. At present trying to post on Google+ is running through the hoops (from a mobile). People still use Facebook to update status and not Google+, because it is easier and trendy. Teens are still not taken with Google+.
But WhatsApp is the most popular texting, messaging platform with the teens - in fact, wherever WhatsApp has gained foothold, the SMS market has taken a dive. Imagine if WhatsApp offers ability not only to chat but hangout with others with Google+?
What we have to remember is already Google+ offers free voice/video chat with their hangouts. If Google acquires WhatsApp, and it makes sense, then Facebook as we know would peter off, in about 3 years - would become another Orkut.
It is also a fork in the path for WhatsApp. If they don’t sell now, they would be overtaken by Google or Facebook’s own application within an year.
It would be interesting to see how the technology involves.
My wicked half whispers, ‘If Google acquires WhatsApp, Indian politicians need not be worried about Facebook and blogs. They would have their hands full with a completely new way of communication. Mapathon contest, What'sThat?'
If the denied (by Neeraj Arora of WhatsApp) deal goes through, it will be the next biggest acquisition by an internet major after Facebook's takeover of Instagram.
In December 2012, there were similar speculations that Facebook was in talks to acquire WhatsApp. The latest rumour is that WhatsApp is playing harball - even though the acquisition price is said to have touched $1 billion.
WhatsApp Messenger is cross-platform - a mobile messaging app that allows exchange of messages without having to pay any charge, at least for the 1st year of use. What’s interesting is the fact WhatsApp works in iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Android (Nokia too if you want to classify it as something different). Thus it has become the most popular messaging service across the world, jousting with BlackBerry’s BBM messenger service.
At 17 billion messages (7 billion inbound and 10 billion outbound) transmitted daily through WhatsApp, and with ~100 million Android users currently, we can well believe the hype. Have to remind ourselves that Android as per latest surveys dominates the mobile market with 70% share.
Let us leave the speculation (about acquisition) aside and look at what is really up if (or should we say when) Google acquires WhatsApp?
It is like marrying SMS and twitter with Facebook. At present trying to post on Google+ is running through the hoops (from a mobile). People still use Facebook to update status and not Google+, because it is easier and trendy. Teens are still not taken with Google+.
But WhatsApp is the most popular texting, messaging platform with the teens - in fact, wherever WhatsApp has gained foothold, the SMS market has taken a dive. Imagine if WhatsApp offers ability not only to chat but hangout with others with Google+?
What we have to remember is already Google+ offers free voice/video chat with their hangouts. If Google acquires WhatsApp, and it makes sense, then Facebook as we know would peter off, in about 3 years - would become another Orkut.
It is also a fork in the path for WhatsApp. If they don’t sell now, they would be overtaken by Google or Facebook’s own application within an year.
It would be interesting to see how the technology involves.
My wicked half whispers, ‘If Google acquires WhatsApp, Indian politicians need not be worried about Facebook and blogs. They would have their hands full with a completely new way of communication. Mapathon contest, What'sThat?'
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