Incredible!

A little messaging app for the iPhone has just been bought by FB for $16 billion.

Presumably it’s because people use whatsapp rather than FB’s own messaging service. But still….$16 billion!!!! 🙂

Presumably it’s because people use whatsapp rather than FB’s own messaging service

Yep, they don’t want to lose market share users (more than they are already).

oi!….it’s on Android too 😉

I had noticed that they seemed to be pushing their own separate messaging service a lot recently.

At least we know that they’ll willing to pay reasonable money if you come up with an idea that diverts a bit of FB traffic 😉

Just uninstalled it, so has the wife, as it asked for money to keep working. That’s $1.20 they won’t get. I think FB maybe got that one wrong. Were all about viber now.

Maybe STW should create a messaging app for middle aged IT professionals who drive Auidis and never ride bikes, then sell out to FB and retire to the Caribbean?

Great, won’t me long before there’s an update and we’re required to be logged faceshit to use whatscrapp.

I’ve just read that they only employ 30 staff.

Bet they’re all multi-millionaires now!

Good on them… Seriously jealous though.

nickjb – Member 
Just uninstalled it, so has the wife, as it asked for money to keep working. That’s $1.20 they won’t get. I think FB maybe got that one wrong. Were all about viber now.

It’s always done that. Will worth the 80p or whatever it is IMO. A few mms picture messages avoided and it’s paid for itself.

I just hope fb don’t duck the app up by integrating fb into it or adverts

if they do

integrating fb into it or adverts

I shall be removing it.
I do have wastebook, but I like to keep it separate.
I don’t want people on fb to message me all the time.

I don’t want people on fb to message me all the time.

oh to be so popular…

There’s something wrong somewhere when that much money gets spent on a messaging app.

It would be fine if there was a robust revenue stream that the value could be calculated against, but purchase like this seem to be based on acquiring market share and potential revenue, which seems crazy. Dot com bubble anyone? 🙂

Guardian reporting it’s $19bn.

http://gu.com/p/3nv25/tw

I’m going to create a startup growing black tulips. I reckon it will be worth at least as much as that,

There’s something wrong somewhere when that much money gets spent on a messaging app.

Isn’t it just grotesque?

What’s Facebook?

What’s app?

Not been using it long and basically only between me and my wife. Loads of pictures of the kids during the day and a messaging option when we have WiFi but no mobile signal. Well worth the 69pa year it will cost after the first free year.

Hopefully the BBC quote will play out and it will continue unfettered by Facebook…

What’s Facebook?

Well worth the 69pa year it will cost

Viber does the same for free and it’s better at group messaging.

I don’t think 69p is an unreasonable amount to charge for what you get.

I don’t think 69p is an unreasonable amount to charge for what you get.

I think 69p is an absolute steal for the amount you get – when was the last time you had to send an SMS?

Still, at the first sign of Facebook integration (contacts being shared between platforms for example) I’ll be getting rid of it.

Gross amount of money for a bit of tech that has a few million users.

Just gross.

Maybe the fact that people are willing to pay for a service they can get for free is why its worth $19b

Still, at the first sign of Facebook integration (contacts being shared between platforms for example) I’ll be getting rid of it.

best delete it then. i installed it a couple of days ago and used my facebook profile to sign in.

Gross amount of money for a bit of tech that has a few million users.

More than “a few”. 450 million. Quite a few 🙂

best delete it then. i installed it a couple of days ago and used my facebook profile to sign in

Really? Haven’t had to use it here so far, it might be offered as a login option but I certainly haven’t used it.

When is the FB bubble going to burst?

Who makes the decisions there? Its mental.

Gross amount of money for a bit of tech that has a few million users.

I agree it’s a gross amount of money, but it’s more than a few million users, closer to half a billion. More importantly, 310 million users use the app on a daily basis. It’s a huge user base, especially if you’re charging a quid or so a year to use it, plus other advertising revenue streams. It’s also a way for FB to just eliminate a big competitor.

peterfile – Member

More than “a few”. 450 million. Quite a few

I make that $35 ish per user if my maths is correct…Seems a bit rich!

I’ve definitely not given whatsapp $35.

I’ve been overvalued. It’s a nice feeling.

I don’t really get WhatsApp – doesn’t everybody get unlimited texts these days anyway?

Some perspective – what I copied from Twitter

Netflix: $25.6B
Tesla: $23.7B
Macy’s: $19.7B
WhatsApp: $19B
Whole Foods: $19B
Gap: $18.9B
Sony: $17.7B
United Airlines: $15.7B

Tesla is worth $24B – they only make 30000 cars per year

Bimbler – Member

I don’t really get WhatsApp – doesn’t everybody get unlimited texts these days anyway?

Basically it’s a rip off of BBM, so compared to SMS/MMS it’s faster, you get delivery receipts, you can attach pictures, sounds videos as easily as a normal message, better range of emoticons, really easy group chat, and it is cross platform. Also potentially cheaper if like me MMS are expensive.

Some perspective – what I copied from Twitter

Netflix: $25.6B
Tesla: $23.7B
Macy’s: $19.7B
WhatsApp: $19B
Whole Foods: $19B
Gap: $18.9B
Sony: $17.7B
United Airlines: $15.7B

Tesla is worth $24B – they only make 30000 cars per year

Assuming those numbers are correct, it seems even more ludicrous. Those are companies who make actual stuff! As much as I like WhatsApp it is very simple, the only real thing they have going is the users and brand recognition.

Well for all those people wanting to remove it for encroaching in to your personal life etc. etc. then you might as well get rid of your phone altogether.

Even what’s free now will become chargeable in due course. If you don’t want facebook integration with your apps, then why have a facebook account?

All seems a bit tin foil hat IMO whilst missing the bigger picture.

doesn’t everybody get unlimited texts these days anyway?

i think most ‘unlimited’ text packages charge for MMS.

400 million people use it a month, and 10 billion messages per day are sent. Almost all of thsoe users will have uploaded their entire address book to the site.

Maybe its our data thats so valuable?

i think most ‘unlimited’ text packages charge for MMS.

Which is why you can just use email, surely? As with text, most people have pretty much limitless email access on their phones these days, and when you factor in Skype (Free, with minimal ads), there’s so many easy ways to get ‘free’ comms between people.

As above, though, some of these valuations in the .com world are getting very silly. Bubbles don’t or can’t always last long….