Microsoft will Anteile an Facebook kaufen
Laut vielen Quellen brodelt die Gerüchteküche fast über, denn Microsoft Fires Volley At Google in Ad Battle (WSJ.com):
Microsoft is in talks to buy a minority stake in the popular social-networking Web site Facebook Inc., a sign of a new urgency by the software giant to jump-start its online business at a time when Google is widening its lead in the fast-growing Internet-advertising business. As part of its catch-up program, Microsoft also has quietly granted broad powers to an executive recently hired from outside the company, who is expected to help shake up the software giant’s online business.
Microsoft in recent weeks approached Facebook with proposals to invest in the startup that could value the fast-growing site at $10 billion or higher, said people familiar with the matter. If those talks bear fruit, Microsoft could purchase a stake of up to 5% in the closely held startup, at a cost in the range of $300 million to $500 million, the people said.
Daran sind einige Punkte sehr interessant:
- Die vor einigen Wochen vom Lead-Investor Peter Thiel in den Raum geworfene Bewertung von $10 mrd scheint sich zu manifestieren.
- Microsoft scheint gerade echt Sorge zu haben, den Zug zu verpassen. Was wäre, wenn alle Facebook-User nicht mehr Office nutzen würden, sondern Textverarbeitung und Co. innerhalb von Facebook?
- Google wird eigene Ambitionen im Zusammenhang mit dem Social Graph weiter forcieren.
Auf alle Fälle ist Facebook derzeit das Thema schlechthin, von MySpace redet eigentlich kaum noch jemand.
