Google is the latest name to be linked to an acquisition of mobile messaging phenomenon WhatsApp, with a report from Digital Trends claiming the deal could be valued close to $1 billion.Talks between the two firms are believed to have started last month, with WhatsApp reported to be holding out for a figure as close as possible to the $1 billion mark. Earlier this year Facebook was also rumoured to be eyeing the over-the-top (OTT) messaging vendor, while Google itself is thought to have approached WhatsApp prior to this most recent speculation. While the mooted price tag seems high (unconfirmed reports put WhatsApp’s annual revenue at around $100 million), Google would certainly benefit from bolstering its messaging play. By bringing WhatsApp into the fold, Google could potentially unify its disparate messaging services such as Google Voice, Google Hangouts and Google Talk.
