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ARTICLE AD BOX
Recent reports spotlight growing acquisition interest from major tech giants. Meta’s substantial investment in ScaleAI and rumoured pursuit of other AI startups have dominated headlines. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly in early talks to acquire Perplexity AI, eyeing its advanced search capabilities. While these developments are drawing significant attention, the strategy of acquiring innovative startups remains a well-established playbook in the tech industry.The world's largest technology firms have engaged in multi-billion dollar acquisitions to expand their service ecosystems and integrate key technologies. The Big Tech – Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft – have struck landmark deals and purchased companies with both competing and complementary technologies. These acquisitions have often served as a component of their growth and innovation strategies. Here are some of the key acquisitions and investments by the Big Tech in their history.Here are one-line summaries for each acquisition, including the year and finances involved.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, bought YouTube, Motorola DeepMind and Android
- YouTube: In 2006, Google acquired the video-sharing platform YouTube for $1.65 billion.
- Motorola Mobility: Google purchased mobile phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility in 2012 for $12.5 billion.
- DeepMind Labs: The UK-based artificial intelligence (AI) lab DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 reportedly for an estimated $400 million.
- Android: Google acquired the mobile operating system Android in 2005 for an estimated $50 million.
Amazon bought gaming, smart home security companies
- Twitch: Amazon bought the video game streaming platform Twitch in 2014 for $970 million.
- Annapurna Labs: In 2015, Amazon acquired Israeli chip designer Annapurna Labs for an estimated $350 million.
- Ring: Amazon acquired smart home security company Ring in 2018 for approximately $1 billion.
Apple purchased Beats and Intel’s modem business
- Beats Electronics: Apple purchased audio brand and streaming service Beats in 2014 for $3 billion.
- Intel Modem Business: In 2019, Apple acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem division for $1 billion.
Meta (formerly Facebook) got Instagram and WhatsApp
- WhatsApp: Meta (then Facebook) acquired the messaging application WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion.
- Instagram: In 2012, Meta (then Facebook) purchased the photo-sharing app Instagram for $1 billion.
- Oculus VR: Meta (then Facebook) acquired virtual reality hardware company Oculus VR in 2014 for $2 billion.
- ScaleAI: As of mid-2025, reports of Meta acquiring ScaleAI are speculative, and no official deal, year, or amount has been announced.
Microsoft made the biggest gaming deal in its history
- Activision Blizzard: Microsoft completed its acquisition of the video game publisher Activision Blizzard in 2023 for $68.7 billion.
- GitHub: In 2018, Microsoft purchased the software development platform GitHub for $7.5 billion.
- LinkedIn: Microsoft acquired the professional networking site LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion.
- Nokia: In 2014, Microsoft bought Nokia's mobile devices and services business for $7.2 billion.
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