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We often hear about software acquisitions for huge amounts of money. Most recently, the search software Vurb is reported to be in the process of being bought by Snapchat for $110m.
 
Let's look back at some of the most expensive takeovers of web and mobile apps, focusing on the most memorable names.
 
WhatsApp bought by Facebook for $19bn


It's the annoying name that makes it sounds like you're asking someone what's up, but not quite. WhatsApp was bought by Facebook for $19bn two years ago.

An interesting article by Tech Crunch explains why this valuation was not so ludicrous. And it did seem ludicrous – at the time of the acquisition, WhatsApp wasn't even used widely in the US.
 
However, Facebook had previously missed out on buying Snapchat, so felt they had to make a meaty offer for WhatsApp. It also meant they avoided Google acquiring it.
 
Instagram bought by Facebook for $1bn


Facebook's other software biggie. Instagram was bought for the pocket change of $1bn, a bargain in hindsight (at the time of the acquisition in 2012 it was considered a lot for a start up). It is now valued at about $35bn by Citigroup. Eye bulge emoji.
 
Bitstrips bought by Snapchat for $100m


This isn't as expensive as the others and Bitstrips is less of a household name, but the thread here is the acquisition merry-go-round, as Facebook had previously failed to buy Snapchat (they didn't offer enough money).

Bitstrips is behind the Bitmoji cartoon characters – pre drawn templates that you can choose from to create comic strips and avatars.

Vine bought by Twitter for $30m*


I wanted to include a Twitter acquisition and this is one of the most well known, given that it's described as a 'vine' when someone posts a vine-hosted mini-video, rather than just a 'video'.
 
*This figure is disputed with $970m also mentioned. Stock value could account for this, though there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer.
 
Waze bought by Google for $966m


We haven't had a company gobbled up by Google yet, so here it is. Waze is a type of GPS and social sat nav. It takes data from users, who can also report crashes, traffic jams, etc.
 
Skype bought by eBay for $2.6bn


Companies can be acquired more than once, this time we're chosen to highlight one of the earlier acquisitions, as Skype was eventually bought by Microsoft for $8.5bn.
 
Early Skype software development took place in Estonia, and Microsoft have maintained a large base there.
 
YouTube bought by Google for $1.65bn


Another Google acquisition, and this is one of their most famous. They practically picked YouTube up at car boot sale for $1.65bn, when you consider it is an omnipresent online fixture.
 
Last year it was valued at about $70bn by analysts.
 
Myspace bought by News Corporation for $580m


A list of spendy acquisitions wouldn't be complete without mentioning myspace, bought for $580m and later sold (to Justin Timberlake and friends) for $35m.

But that doesn't tell the whole story. Myspace remained popular for years following the acquisition, and its valuation kept going up.
 
In 2008, Facebook became a bigger force, and Myspace continued to decline.

LinkedIn bought by Microsoft for $26.2bn
 
Another purchase by Microsoft and an ongoing acquisition expected to complete by the end of the year. The acquisition will boost Microsoft social networking portfolio.

Viber bought by Rakuten for $900m


Viber, a messaging app similar to Skype, was acquired by Rakuten, a Japanese online retailer, in 2014. At the time, Rakuten's chief executive said they would be unable to create such an app on their own, and it provided new communication strategies for them.

Eastpoint Software Mobile App Development Company Cambridge, Surrey, UK, Twickenham, Richmond, Chelmsford, London, West London and Colchester. We are a great way to reach out and grow your business, but they also have specific benefits. Mobile apps can utilize phone features, such as notifications, camera and location, broadening the scope of what can be achieved. We work on software projects, including apps and websites, for clients across East Anglia and London. To speak to us about your website, app, or content management system requirements, We have offices in Cambridge and London, and are based in Cambridge. Our office is at the Mount Pleasant House, do come and meet us to discuss projects.call 01223 690 164or email info@eastpoint.co.uk.

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Xamarin became popular for building mobile applications because it brought the programming language C# to Android, iOS and Windows Phone apps, allowing developers to use their existing coding expertise for mobile app development.



But that isn't really what makes the Xamarin framework special.
 
When developers use Xamarin, they are able to share code between Android, iOS and Windows Phone while still producing native mobile apps – which means the app functions just as well as if it had been written in the specific framework for that phone, rather than a cross-platform framework.
 
How code sharing still creates native mobile apps
 
Sharing code across mobile development platforms means that you can share code between iOS, Android and Windows, rather than having to rewrite 100% new code if you wanted an app that worked on more than one operating system.
 
Arguably the most important thing about Xamarin, and the thing that differs most from its closest alternatives, is that the final product is the same as if you had used the native language.
 
For example, a photography app being used on an iPhone should ideally be using code meant for an iPhone and an iPhone camera, not something written for Android that may work on iPhone, but not make the best use of the iPhone camera's features.
 
In this example, Xamarin offers the opportunity to share some of the general logic behind the photography app, without recycling the unsuitable Android code. The code that cannot be shared is rewritten, which will likely be a fair chunk of it.

Xamarin doesn't require you to write generic code that detracts from a specific mobile device, it instead shares the code where possible, but not all the time.
 
Anything you can do while creating an iOS app with Swift (the development language used for Apple) you can also do in Xamarin.

Big changes for Xamarin mobile development
 
Earlier this year Xamarin was acquired by Microsoft for a reported $400million. It was then announced at the Build 2016 keynote (a developer conference) that Xamarin would be integrated into Visual Studio.
 
This was great news for mobile app developers. It meant you no longer needed to pay for each Xamarin account you needed to develop in each platform. If you already used Microsoft's Visual Studio, Xamarin was included, while some versions of Xamarin can be used without needing Visual Studio, too.

Is Xamarin the best choice for mobile app development?
 
Xamarin isn't necessarily better, but it offers benefits for cross-platform app development. This has the potential to save on coding time, enabling developers to pass cost savings to clients.

The app development company I'm using is using Xamarin for my mobile app, Is this OK?
 
Xamarin is definitely a reputable choice. Ask your mobile developer why they have chosen it for your specific mobile app, and they should be able to explain without technical jargon.

Are there any alternatives to Xamarin for mobile app development?
 
Each mobile app requirement is different, and it's too simplistic to say that all cross-platform apps should be made using Xamarin. Alternatives include PhoneGap and Ionic, though neither of these offers the same features as Xamarin. Most notably, you do not produce the equivalent of native mobile apps in the way that you do with Xamarin.

Xamarin is not necessarily any better than anything else. As Xamarin mobile developers ourselves, we don't automatically use it. It depends on the circumstances.
 
If you are developing only an iOS app, or only an Android app, the cross-platform aspect of Xamarin is probably not relevant. Additionally, if a developer is experienced in either or both iOS and Android development, they will likely be able to code those apps entirely separately just as quickly.
 
Eastpoint Software Web, Mobile App and eCommerce Development London, Cambridge, UK, Twickenham, Surrey, West London, Richmond, Colchester  and Chelmsford. See our website www.eastpoint.co.uk for more about our Web, Mobile app and eCommerce development team, or come and see us in Cambridge, UK. Please give us a call on 01223 690164. We work with big and small companies and also have experience as an outsourcing partner, if your company does not have the skills needed in-house. You can email us any app development enquiries at info@eastpoint.co.uk.
 
Visit us: https://www.eastpoint.co.uk/