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Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

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Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#621

Post by molmalo »

zippergz wrote: post #531
shubhamjain wrote: post #516

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought it was the de facto messaging app across the world? Is there any particular reason why it is not used much in US?

I can only speak for myself, but in the US I have never seen any need for it. I text or iMessage with my friends, and while I have had WhatsApp installed for a long time, I've never found something it does better for me. If I needed to communicate with people I couldn't text with, or if I were paying per text, it would probably be more compelling.

Well, to give you an example, here in Argentina, almost everyone in my phone's contact list uses WhatsApp. Here, the fact that you pay per message is a big incentive. But there are other advantages, like instant delivery, being sure that the message was received (double-check), better feedback ('X is online' when using the app, 'Last seen at 09:22', X is writing...), media sharing, groups, etc. simple things that help a lot. Also, it works both on iPhone and Android...

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#623

Post by vmavalankar »

pitchups wrote: post #131
nwh wrote: post #60

400,000,000 active users [0] 16,000,000,000 USD ---- $40 per user That's an incredible cost. We can assume Facebook is paying for the userbase, the app itself and it's infrastructure would basically run itself. It's less appealing when you realise that there's probably a miniscule fraction of WhatsApp users that don't have a Facebook account. > WhatsApp will remain autonomous and operate independently. You can contin…

Pretty amazing that this is precisely what Microsoft paid for Hotmail in 1998 : $400 million for 10 million users = $40 / User. [1] The parallels are striking : Whatsapp is to messaging today what Hotmail was to messaging in the late '90s. [1] http://news.cnet.com/2100-1033-206717.html

You know we all feel the same http://vmavalankar.svbtle.com/why-facebook-bought-whatsapp

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#624

Post by shortsightedsid »

neovive wrote: post #582
shortsightedsid wrote: post #497

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually got to know about the Acquisition on Whatsapp! My friend from NYC messaged me on it. Unlike SMS, what I really like about it, is the group chat feature. At any given day, I'm chatting on a group chat with friends from here in the US, Canada, India, Singapore and the UK. For that I pay $1/year. It's probably paid for itself in just a few days of use.

Back in the day, I remember using AIM for group chat with friends and instant messaging. Although I've never used Whatsapp, it seems like a mobile equivalent of AIM.

Absolutely the same as AIM messenger or Y! messenger back in the days.

There are some differences which is possibly because it's the mobile equivalent.

One is that you don't have to add any new contact. If anyone on your phone book has whatsapp, they instantly show up i.e your identity is your phone number.

Two when you join a group if there is a person already in the group whose you know in real life, but don't have the number of, it's easy to get their contact into your phone book.

I was able to reconnect with quite a few of my old high school friends using whatsapp. The interesting thing was that everyone spread around the world. Many are in the US, but several are in UK, some are in the middle east, many in India, a couple in Singapore and the group chat made it possible for everyone to instantly connect without having to "add a friend". Plus, no cost difference to send a message to someone in the UK or India.

Like you said, it's the mobile equivalent but the group chat feature is what makes it really useful esp. if you have friends in multiple countries.

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#625

Post by vmavalankar »

crucialfelix wrote: post #416
ams6110 wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll admit to a distinct feeling, that I've started to lose touch with pop technology. I've never heard of WhatsApp. Though I had most definitely heard of Hotmail in 1998.

WhatsApp has huge global growth. I heard that little chirp everywhere I went in India. friends in Africa use it all the time. in countries with SMS charges, whatsapp is a good deal.

You know we all feel the same in some way http://vmavalankar.svbtle.com/why-facebook-bought-whatsapp

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#627

Post by agsamek »

shuri wrote: post #592
podperson wrote: post #523

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This suggests that its userbase is EXACTLY complementary for Facebook.

you are not buying the user, you are buying their attention.

Not only attention. Also their profile and access to their thoughts which is an asset that big brother is willing to pay for.

In 1984 you needed to hand a copybook to someone you wished to invigilate. Today you invigilate by billions for $40 per head :)

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#628

Post by downandout »

jonknee wrote: post #569
downandout wrote: post #532

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were just valued at $19 billion. Kind of not a startup.

No, they were acquired for $19B. That's exactly a startup. They had a small amount of VC and the revenue to match, but sold for a king's ransom--the storybook version of a startup.

Value = the amount that someone will pay for something. $19B in this case.

Re: Facebook Buying WhatsApp for $16B in Cash and Stock Plus $3B in RSUs

#630

Post by pmarin »

ams6110 wrote: post #405
pitchups wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty amazing that this is precisely what Microsoft paid for Hotmail in 1998 : $400 million for 10 million users = $40 / User. [1] The parallels are striking : Whatsapp is to messaging today what Hotmail was to messaging in the late '90s. [1] http://news.cnet.com/2100-1033-206717.html

I'll admit to a distinct feeling, that I've started to lose touch with pop technology. I've never heard of WhatsApp. Though I had most definitely heard of Hotmail in 1998.

In Spain it has replaced sms. Everyone with mobile use it.
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