[alalani1]

Automattic basically consolidated the messaging aggregator market for $175M - I don't have any data but given they had 40 FTE between the two companies, I would guess not more than $10M in revenue across the two. Anyone understand the business rationale for wanting to own this market?

[xmprt]

No matter what, as long as we continue to communicate with each other, messaging will never die. Individual messaging platforms will come and go but the idea of instant messaging has existed for about as long as the internet. $175M might be a steal if Beeper gets more mass market appeal.

[chiefalchemist]

Yes. Messaging will never die. Given that, why has it been so difficult for so many to get a toe-hold - and be sustainable - for so long?

I agree with the sentiment of your comment. However, I'm not sure it answers: what's the justification of this purchase? What does the buyer know that others have not?

[alalani1]

Yeah, my first response was going to be that the paid messaging app business model hasn't worked that entire time. But what we've learned from Whatsapp is that there may be other ways to monetize (Whatsapp Business). Still not an obvious bet IMO but you're right that owning the messaging layer is valuable.

[smashah]

These apps are a gateway drug onto the Matrix protocol thereby eliminating the monopoly position of trillion dollar (evil) companies like WhatsApp (Meta).

[Grustaf]

What is the market size of people who care about "eliminating the monopoly position of trillion dollar (evil) companies"? And how will you monetize them?

Not that either Apple or Meta are even close to having a monopoly position in messaging.

[maged]

Where is the $175M number from?

[alalani1]

TechCrunch reported this as a $125M purchase and previously texts.com for $50M

[zamadatix]

125 for Beeper and 50 for Texts