Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp a death knell for texting?

Yesterday, Facebook announced its acquisition of instant messaging service, WhatsApp, for a reported $16bn.

Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates, explains what the move means for the mobile industry.

‘Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp will have sent shockwaves through the boardrooms of mobile operators across the world. We’ve already seen a dramatic decline in the number of mobile phone calls, and with this investment in instant messaging Facebook has launched a direct attack on text messaging, indicating that mobile carriers are going to struggle.’

‘Apple and Google have already started a process of radical change and Facebook will only accelerate the transformation of the traditional telco industry. CEOs and senior management at mobile carriers should be very clear – Facebook will completely own mobile messaging before the end of the year.’

‘The first two months of this year have been incredibly busy for tech acquisitions and company floats. This level of activity makes it an exciting time for the global tech scene, and London’s pivotal position in this market means that the capital should expect to be involved in these sorts of deals in the future. It is fascinating to observe which disruptive companies enhance, rather than cannibalise, existing industries. A stark reminder – no industry is too big for change.’