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Facebook Buying Messaging App WhatsApp for $16 Billion
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In my opinion I prefer iMessage, especially as it's integrated with normal messages. However iMessage isn't cross platform, and as far as I'm aware it doesn't allow group chats.
doug in albq
Suspended
WSJ says it is 19 Billion, not 16.
Facebook said in a regulatory filing that it would acquire all outstanding stock and options in WhatsApp for about 183.9 million of its shares, valued at about $12 billion. The deal also includes $4 billion in cash and an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to be granted to WhatsApp's founders and employees.
Facebook said in a regulatory filing that it would acquire all outstanding stock and options in WhatsApp for about 183.9 million of its shares, valued at about $12 billion. The deal also includes $4 billion in cash and an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to be granted to WhatsApp's founders and employees.
bushido
Suspended
I HATED that "feature" of WhatsApp. I don't care if people know if (and when) I read their message, but I hate that it shows when I was last online. I had people at work on there, and I could find out if they were chatting away on there with other people because it says "Online Now" or whatever. I don't really care for that aspect of it.
As for iMessage, I don't know what's going on with yours, but my pictures are always super quick.
Kik is most definitely better, unless you like getting unsolicited messages from telemarketers/scammers.
Whatsapp is clean and efficient and works without any issues which makes it better. I'm upset that they are selling to fb and I wish they had stayed independent. I'm probably going to jump platforms now. 🙁
Not surprising. An insane amount. Also disappointing but, resistance is futile...
Deleting whatsapp means no more communication for me. Everybody uses it (even with most people here having unlimited SMS). iMessage is not even close to being an alternative. There are no alternatives really because of the huge userbase and the app being cross platform.
You can cry all you want and shout about deleting whatsapp, switching to Line, viber and whatnot. The reality is that your contacts/friends won't care one bit about FB buying whatsapp and they'll all just continue using it.
Deleting whatsapp means no more communication for me. Everybody uses it (even with most people here having unlimited SMS). iMessage is not even close to being an alternative. There are no alternatives really because of the huge userbase and the app being cross platform.
You can cry all you want and shout about deleting whatsapp, switching to Line, viber and whatnot. The reality is that your contacts/friends won't care one bit about FB buying whatsapp and they'll all just continue using it.
dammyonline
macrumors member
For starters iMessage is limited to just ios devices .... Messages to non ios devices are sent by text
$16 billion seems blisteringly over-valued, particularly for a single free app. To put it in perspective, George Lucas sold the entire Star Wars empire for 1/4 of that and there are infinitely more ways to monazite an entertainment franchise. It seems almost unfathomable that Facebook will ever see a full return on this investment. This might be the misstep that they look back on in 10 years as the one that upended the ship. If I'm Wallstreet, I'm definitely not bullish today.
GoodWatch
macrumors 6502a
dannys1
macrumors 601
Facebook messenger, Skype, MessageMe, Kik, BBM, iMessage, SMS, Email, Twitter, Viber, Line, WeChat, Tango Messenger, VooVoo, Google Hangouts, TextMe, imo, XMS, GroupMe, Path, Kakoa Talk, Cubie, Hike, Maaii, Rounds, Snapchat, Nimbuzz, ChatON, Voxer, Yahoo Messenger, Text 2 Group, Instamessage, IM+, Molto, Hipchat, DiDi, iMessenger, Textie, Yak Messenger, WaZapp, Upptalk, iGotChat, Palringo Messenger, Coco, Telegram Messenger, Bobsled Messaging, Chat for OMegle, Libon, Truphone...
There are 49 alternatives for you.
You do realise that the 'last seen' isn't actually official. Whats app have already said it can be manipulated by pings sent from them or from the phone which is just updating the information to make sure it hasn't missed any messages etc. It's very much like the Facebook messenger in that it's not an actually indication that they are online. On both services I have seen people who I am sat with who are obviously not online but it says they are. In fact for the Facebook one I have seen my friends profile say that I am online though I hadn't been on Facebook all day.
tkermit
macrumors 68040
dammyonline
macrumors member
I agree with you and quite frankly not really bothered about the buyout...well as long as the guys at Facebook aren't thinking of doing something as silly as merging it with their messenger service :/
osofast240sx
macrumors 68030
you make it seem like it's the end all of messaging. There is always a bigger fish
Sorry that I keep spamming these links in this thread but:
Edit: Apparently Telegram isn't so secure - http://missingm.co/2014/02/fighting-dishfire-the-state-of-mobile-cross-platform-encrypted-messaging/
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In my opinion all Apple have to do is make iMessage cross plat form (though include a subscription charge for non iDevices, maybe extend it's offering to PC's), add multiple chat support and they could win the race for messaging.
