Who owns Instagram and WhatsApp - briefly?
Facebook, Inc., now known as Meta Platforms, Inc., owns both Instagram and WhatsApp. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, oversaw these acquisitions in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
Who owns Instagram and WhatsApp - in detail?
Both Instagram and WhatsApp are owned by Meta Platforms Inc., a multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. Originally known as Facebook Inc., the company rebranded to Meta Platforms Inc. in October 2021 to reflect its focus on building the metaverse.
Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger as a photo-sharing app for mobile devices. The application quickly gained popularity, leading to Facebook's acquisition of Instagram in April 2012 for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock. This acquisition was strategic for Facebook, allowing it to expand its reach into the growing mobile market and capitalize on Instagram's innovative features and user base.
WhatsApp, on the other hand, was founded in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum. The messaging app was designed to provide users with a simple, reliable, and free way to communicate across different platforms. In February 2014, Facebook announced its acquisition of WhatsApp for $19 billion, making it one of the largest acquisitions in technology history. This move was aimed at enhancing Facebook's presence in the mobile messaging market and leveraging WhatsApp's extensive global user base.
Under Meta Platforms Inc., both Instagram and WhatsApp have seen significant growth and development. Instagram has expanded its features to include video sharing, live streaming, Stories, IGTV, Reels, and shopping capabilities. These additions have transformed the platform into a comprehensive social media and marketing tool. Similarly, WhatsApp has introduced features such as voice and video calls, end-to-end encryption for enhanced security, and business tools to facilitate communication between businesses and their customers.
Meta Platforms Inc.'s ownership of Instagram and WhatsApp highlights its commitment to providing a suite of integrated communication and social media platforms. This strategy enables Meta to offer users seamless experiences across multiple applications while also maximizing advertising opportunities and data insights for businesses.