Facebook buys WhatsApp in $16bn deal to target teens and boost messaging service
Facebook is buying mobile messaging service WhatsApp for up to $19 billion in cash and stock in the firms biggest ever acquisition.The world's biggest social networking company said that it is paying $12 billion in Facebook stock and $4 billion in cash for WhatsApp. In addition, the app's founders and employees will be granted $3 billion in restricted stock that will vest over four years after the deal closes. WHATSAPP IN NUMBERS Over 450 million people using the service each monthFirm has 50 employees70% of those people active on a given day;Messaging volume approaching the entire global telecom SMS volumeService adds more than 1 million new registered users per day600m photos uploaded each day200m voice messages sent each dayFacebook says it is keeping WhatsApp as a separate service, just as it did with Instagram, which it bought for about $715.3 million.'The acquisition supports Facebook and WhatsApp's shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility t...