Google eyes popular cross platform messaging service WhatsApp

Google is said be in protracted negotiations to acquire the now popular cross platform messaging service WhatsApp, according to several unconfirmed media reports.

The internet giant had approached WhatsApp in December 2012, around the same time Facebook was said to be interested in acquiring the popular messaging service.

With two of the most popular internet services company on its tail, the WhatsApp team is reported to be asking a staggering $1 billion for a company that was founded just four years ago.

WhatsApp is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows the user to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS.

WhatsApp app is available for the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android phones, Windows phone and Nokia handsets.

The user can send an SMS from a mobile phone to another, irrespective of its operating system since WhatsApp uses the same internet data plan that is being used by the user for email and web browsing.

In addition to basic messaging WhatsApp users can create groups, send each other unlimited images, video and audio media messages.

WhatsApp, which is now a paid app, with one-year subscription fee at $0.99, is now used on more than 700 mobile networks in over 100 countries and is reported to record 1 billion messages each day, with the highest 18 billion messages recorded in just 24 hours on New Years Eve last year.

Google is also said to be working on a chat system known as Babble and is expected to be launched later this year.