Yesterday Israeli newspaper, Calcalist, reported that Facebook and Waze are in negotiations for a $1 billion acquisition. The talks have apparently been happening for the last six months with prices hovering between $800 million and close to $1 billion. There were reportedly other suitors including Apple and Microsoft. Facebook previously purchased Instagram in April of 2012 for a staggering $1 billion so paying the same for Waze isn’t out of the question.
Waze and Facebook began working together in October of last year, integrating Facebook features into the Waze app. The app allows users to report on traffic conditions, speed cameras, and more. It’s a very social driving experience and makes sense if Facebook wants to build a strong ecosystem. Could this be the first step toward a Facebook operating system and phone?
Facebook released Home, its interactive lockscreen and app launcher for Android, which does a great job of hiding Google’s Android operating system. If Facebook purchases Waze, it will own the second most popular navigation application in the world after Google Maps. Facebook could then potentially build its own phone with Home as the operating system with strong core applications like Waze for navigation.
[Source: Calcalist (Google translated) | Via: Softonic Brazil]
