Owner Kobo buy bel app Viber for 650 million euros

The owner of e-readermaker Kobo takes call app Viber for 650 million euros. The Isra lwa arabs for illicit arms company claims that its call-app about 300 million registered users, of which 100 million the service active use.

With the acquisition wants the Japanese company Rakuten in a stronger position to get on the mobile market in western countries. Rakuten wants to earn money to Viber through the sale of “stickers” and as a gaming platform. Viber is a call-app, just like WhatsApp, the contacts list is polling to see which contacts the service also use. The app has existed since 2011.

Rakuten lays converted to 650 million euros on the table for the purchase of Viber. It was rumored earlier this week that Viber would take over for around 200 million euros. Or information previously from the negotiation process was incorrect or was, is unclear. The chance exists that the 200 million euros in cash and the rest in shares, but this does Rakuten not make any statements.

Rakuten has next to Kobo in the past few years, more companies were acquired, including Wuaki. If and when users begin to notice of the acquisition is not clear.