Facebook sent a shockwave through the tech world on Wednesday when it announced the acquisition of WhatsAapp for $16 billion ($12 billion in stock and $4 billion cash).
The deal represents one of the biggest acquisitions in recent mobile tech history at almost double the $8.5 billion Microsoft paid for Skype back in 2011, and over five times the $2.9 billion Lenovo paid Google for Motorola just last month.
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Reactions to the massive purchase by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg have given rise to a number of colorful responses on social media. Some are enthusiastic and supportive, some are surprisingly ambivalent, while many others don't seem to know what to make of the historic acquisition.
Below we've collected some of the most outrageous and entertaining social media reactions to Facebook's biggest acquisition ever.
The founders of WhatsApp right now. (cc: @MikeIsaac) pic.twitter.com/8CzbbZpAoK
— Nick Bilton (@nickbilton) February 19, 2014
Holy Shit. I got nothin else to say. http://t.co/JWlEXigopD
— Mark Suster (@msuster) February 19, 2014
Late to this. But unless I'm missing something, that's bigger than any deal Google, Apple, and Microsoft have ever done. Wow.
— MG Siegler (@parislemon) February 19, 2014
So #Facebook is buying #WhatsApp for $12B in stocks and $4B in cash... That is an INSANE big number... #Bre... https://t.co/KvLeFAn1Hl
— Pierre Laromiguiere (@Pierre_Vincent) February 19, 2014
AIM is all like: WAIT, WHAT?
— naveen (@naveen) February 19, 2014
Quick calculation: Facebook paid $737.69 per American teenager. #WhatsApp
— John August (@johnaugust) February 19, 2014
Im Mark Zuckerberg, i want Whatsapp and i want it NOW! pic.twitter.com/tvbmGclC2E
— PublicistaEnfurecido (@angrypublisher) February 20, 2014
How the hell is whatsapp worth $16billion dollars? I am in the wrong game.
— Barry Muldowney (@BarryMuldowney) February 19, 2014
Yep... Whoever invented whatsapp just hit the freaking jackpot. OMG
— Daniel Glauser (@DanielGlauser1) February 19, 2014
In its first 4 years of existence, #WhatsApp experienced extraordinary growth. #facebookwhatsapp pic.twitter.com/4uIb7NviAK
— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) February 19, 2014
So far, arguments for taking $billions from Facebook: "You could change the world!" or "You'd be happy!". Doesn't take billions to do that.
— Anil Dash (@anildash) February 19, 2014
So #facebook is buying #whatsapp for $16B. How the hell did Zuck come up with valuation? Unbelievable. I need a new messaging app now.
— Mark Hauler (@MarkHauler) February 19, 2014
Of course, the Twitter post that will go down in tech history as the most ironic will likely be the one written in 2009 by WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton:
Facebook turned me down. It was a great opportunity to connect with some fantastic people. Looking forward to life's next adventure.
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) August 3, 2009