Facebook in talks to buy Whatsapp: Report

Social networking Facebook Inc is in talks to acquire popular messaging app Whatsapp, a move that will beef-up its mobile services business, says a media report.

"Whatsapp, the multiplatform mobile messaging app that has been one of the runaway success stories for ad-free, paid services, has been in talks to be acquired by Facebook, " technology blog Techcrunch said citing sources close to the matter.

"We are still digging around on potential price and other details...," the report said citing sources. Whatsapp, which was founded in 2009, has 1,000 million daily active users globally and delivers about one billion messages per day. The social networking firm, which was founded eight years ago by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students, at present has around one billion users across the world.

Facebook has been making efforts to improve its mobile service business and made buyouts including the purchase of photo-sharing mobile app Instagram. Earlier in July, Facebook acquired the team behind start-up firm Spool, in an aim to beef up its mobile business. Besides, the social networking firrm also purchased Israeli facial recognition firm Face.com in June.