Facebook’s Family Tree: Meet the Tech Giants Under Its Roof
(What Companies Does Facebook Own)
Facebook, the social media giant we all know, didn’t just build its empire alone. It grew big by buying other clever companies. Think of it like a tech tree, adding branches constantly. Its most famous purchase? Instagram. Back in 2012, Facebook paid a huge pile of cash, about one billion dollars, for the photo-sharing app. People thought it was crazy expensive then. Now? Instagram is a superstar, central to Facebook’s whole plan. It’s where people share photos, watch short videos called Reels, and shop. Buying Instagram was super smart.
WhatsApp came next, a few years later in 2014. This was another massive deal. Facebook spent even more, a mind-blowing nineteen billion dollars. WhatsApp was already huge for texting worldwide, especially outside the US. Facebook wanted that reach. It let them connect billions more people instantly. Messaging became a key part of their world. You might use WhatsApp right now to chat with friends or family. That’s Facebook tech working for you.
Remember Oculus? Facebook bought Oculus VR in 2014 too, around the same time as WhatsApp. This was about the future. Oculus made virtual reality headsets. Facebook saw a chance to build the next big thing: the metaverse. They even renamed the whole company Meta to show this focus. Oculus became Meta Quest. The idea is to create shared online spaces where you feel present. It’s still growing, but Meta believes VR is crucial.
Facebook didn’t stop with the big names. They bought smaller companies quietly. These were often about tech talent or specific tools. Onavo, an Israeli company bought earlier, gave them data about how people used other apps. This helped them spot trends. Like noticing WhatsApp was exploding. They also bought companies working on brain-computer interfaces, like CTRL-labs. Imagine controlling your computer just by thinking! That’s the kind of future tech Meta wants.
Giphy, the place for funny moving pictures called GIFs, joined Facebook in 2020. People use GIFs everywhere online. Controlling Giphy meant Facebook could influence how people express themselves across the internet. It was about owning the language of online chat. Regulators later made them sell it, showing the tricky rules around such big purchases.
(What Companies Does Facebook Own)
So, Facebook, now Meta, owns a lot. Instagram keeps us scrolling and sharing pictures. WhatsApp connects billions through messages. Oculus pushes us into virtual worlds. Behind the scenes, many smaller buys help Meta stay ahead. They look for companies that fit their big picture: connecting people, owning communication, and building the future of online interaction. Their shopping list is always open. Who knows which tech star they might add next?
Inquiry us
if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected])
