It appears that tech juggernauts Google and Apple, media giant Walt Disney, and software corporation Salesforce may have abandoned their pursuits of buying the social media platform, Twitter. Nevertheless, the prospect of a deal is still alive, as rumors suggest that Twitter has asked potential buyers to hold off until October 27, the day of its third quarter earnings report.
We previously compiled a lineup of potential corporate suitors for Twitter, and since then, there have been significant developments in this unfolding drama. Twitter’s stocks have been in a perilous limbo, with shares plunging a staggering 15% on the back of news that agreements with Apple, Google, and Walt Disney have presumably fallen through. This leaves one major player in the list of potential buyers: Microsoft. We can’t ignore the presence of News Corp, but it does bring up a tantalizing question – could tech behemoth Microsoft emerge as the new owner of the micro-blogging platform? It’s a possibility that just cannot be ruled out. Particularly now that Google seems to be dealing with its own social media qualms involving platforms like Google Plus, Allo, and Duo. It’s conceivable that Microsoft might deem this the perfect opportunity to play its hand and secure Twitter to stay competitive within the social media sphere.
Salesforce, another prominent name in the tech industry was reportedly considering the acquisition as well – however, ambiguity remains. The CEO recently suggested they weren’t ruling out any possibilities, though analysts interpreted his stance as somewhat lukewarm, akin to a polite ‘thanks, but no thanks’. Whether Salesforce will take the leap in this high-stakes game of corporate chess is yet to be revealed.
What is puzzling, though, is the conspicuous silence of Amazon. The ability to acquire Twitter is certainly within their financial grasp, and the potential opportunities it presents could be sizeable. One could draw parallels between Amazon acquiring Twitter and Microsoft’s ongoing acquisition of LinkedIn worth $26.2 billion. Just as Microsoft could leverage LinkedIn’s extensive network of 450 million professionals to extensively market its high-powered cloud services, Amazon could likewise capitalize on Twitter’s base of over 310 million users to directly market its products. Imagine a time where brands on Twitter can seamlessly conduct their business with consumers, without the need for rerouting them to their Amazon accounts. With nearly 70% of American companies already active on Twitter, the platform could well serve as an effective, direct bridge to consumers.
Amazon has been candid about its endeavors to challenge the likes of Google and extend its influence across sectors – making a strategic move towards social media certainly wouldn’t be outlandish. Via ventures like TV, drone delivery, the AI-based speaker Echo, and Cloud services, Amazon has already demonstrated its ambition and capability to buttle with heavyweights like Apple and Google. Nevertheless, many still perceive Amazon simply as an online retail platform, particularly outside the US.
With the ample financial muscle to make this move, and the potential benefits it could bring, one can’t help but wonder, echoing the words of a US presidential candidate – ‘What the hell do they have to lose?’
As it stands, whispers in the corporate corridor suggest that any organization interested in acquiring Twitter should brace themselves to shell out a cool $20 billion.
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
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