Report: Google Made $10 Billion Bid for WhatsApp

Facebook won out in the end

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Christian Hartmann / Reuters

An employee answers phone calls at the switchboard of the Google office in Zurich August 18, 2009.

Facebook is purchasing WhatsApp for $19 billion, but at least one other big tech firm was also vying for the mobile-messaging service’s attention: Google.

Fortune’s Jessi Hempel, citing unnamed sources, reports that Google made a $10 billion bid to buy WhatsApp. Google declined to comment.

In addition to the considerably higher purchase price from Facebook, a key difference between the two offers is that Facebook’s came with the promise of a seat on its board.

[FORTUNE]