Facebook Buying Messaging App WhatsApp for $16 Billion

iLog.Genius said:
While some may see that is a positive, I know many people who dislike it. The people I know who disable or limit which accounts can be used is simply for the fact that it's annoying when you're on your computer using iMessage but your phone still receives the message because the iCloud server doesn't sync fast enough.
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That's a separate issue. That's just iMessage having ridiculously bad servers and/or server software. There is no excuse for a message that should fit in one TCP packet taking 10 seconds to send.
 
mwebb said:
As much as we think programmers/business people are somewhat commodity-like, just throwing money and programmers at a project doesn't produce good results. If it did, we'd all be drooling over Windows 8/8.1.

I thought the valuation on Instagram at a billion was insane. Then Google wants Nest, a thermostat maker, for heaven's sake, for 3 billion. 16 billion is whack on the face of it, but if that's what it takes to give FB the connectivity it wants in texts - something far better than FB Messenger - then so be it. I'm pretty confident that it will look like a good investment 5-10 years from now. Instagram is already wildly successful, and it's barely monetized.
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What was wrong with windows 8? Other than old people getting lost without a start button?
 
$16B seems a tad bit insane, insane at the level of a Google buyout never able to give them back anything remotely near the purchase price.
 
Anser said:
That's a separate issue. That's just iMessage having ridiculously bad servers and/or server software. There is no excuse for a message that should fit in one TCP packet taking 10 seconds to send.
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Separate issue or not, it's still a reason why it might not be a benefit to everyone. This happens frequently so call it a bad day for iCloud and I'll conclude that iCloud has many bad days which doesn't really help the argument that iMessage is up there with other IM's.
 
The social bubble is about to pop. It's beginning to look pathetic how fb buys up every emerging competing platform and it's users.
 
captain cadet said:
Deleting whatsapp now - is it possible anymore NOT to use a Facebook service?
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Amen.

I am still recovering from this news and trying to determine what steps to take.

I HATE FB with a passion and avoid using anything that is owned by FB or is linked to it.

Do we have a list of popular cross-platform alternatives yet? :rolleyes:
 
Frederico Luna said:
Facebook! Listen up! This is what people want: Whatsapp web-based version. We'll be able to use it on our phone, on our PC or on our Mac. Faster typing for while you're at work or at home. :)

Kind of like the iMessage for Mac, but web-based.
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You mean something like Facebook Messenger? :D
 
Anser said:
Dropbox? What's the point of that? On AIM you can just send files directly. And they had audio and video chat since like 2005. BBM seriously JUST got that?!?

I didn't hear about Whatsapp until I went on MacRumors. Must be a Europe thing because every single person I know here in the US uses iMessage, FB chat, AIM, SMS, and rarely Google chat. And all of those except SMS work in Messages (aka iChat) :)
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appears you don't actually know many people in US...out of 389 contacts I have, 346 of then use whatsapp....and I only told about 19 to download the app to date.

Its not a only europe thing, whatsapp has been global and it is quiet big in north america and has been exploding in international markets as it is the most cross-platform there is [when it comes to phones, with support for every OS]
 
sully54 said:
If I were a Facebook shareholder, I'm not sure I'd welcome this valuation. $16 billion is a lot of money in general, but more so for a messaging app.

Sure enough, Facebook is down almost 3% in the aftermarket.
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$4B in cash, $12B in funny money (FB stock). I see this as an indication that Facebook and WhatsApp believe FB stock is currently overvalued and the final purchase price will settle out to less than $16B when the stock price settles to a more accurate valuation.

If I'm looking this right, they diluted the stock by a little more than 6%, so if they're down 3% then shareholders think they paid twice as much as they should have?
 
Frederico Luna said:
Facebook! Listen up! This is what people want: Whatsapp web-based version. We'll be able to use it on our phone, on our PC or on our Mac. Faster typing for while you're at work or at home. :)

Kind of like the iMessage for Mac, but web-based.
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What people want is a chat client that does audio, video, DIRECT file transfer, screen sharing, and 100% support for every smartphone and Mac and Windows with native apps and web apps. The only problem is that most of a successful chat client is in the marketing. AIM comes pretty close (misses on the 100% support since Windows AIM has issues with AV), but not as many people seem to use it as they do Facebook chat.
 
C DM said:
You can probably quickly see the point reading just some of the replies in the thread.
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I read a few pages. Group messages, international text, cross platform texting, etc are all accomplished with the native texting app.
 
DShap5 said:
16 Billion?! Whats app with that?

(see what I did there?)
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Pun aside good point...
It seems a lot of money for what's essentially just an app. Additionally give FB's current fortunes I would have thought such money was out of their league? Obviously not...
 
Yet sadly Motorola was sold for under 3 billion. I strongly believe that motorola will be profitable once again in the next year or two.
 
I'm in the wrong job....supporting IT infrastructure is for saps! I'm going to make an app...hold out for FB to make an offer....then sell it and enjoy the rest of my life on a beach with plenty of hookers & blow! Eat your heart out, McAfee! :cool:
 
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