Only two short years ago, Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) was having a difficult time convincing people to invest in its stock after its IPO. Investors saw what happened to Zynga, once an Internet darling, having been ransacked by mobile gaming. However, Mark Zuckerberg was not going to allow himself to become a one-hit wonder. With his drive and ingenuity, he transformed Facebook from its PC beginnings to becoming a mobile and wireless darling.
Of course, people had their doubts. Rumors and whispers swirled that Facebook would be the next MySpace. It made sense, especially when Twitter came around, and many of Facebook’s users showed a preference for the micro-blogging platform. Nonetheless, Facebook now generates more than half of its advertising revenue from tablets and smartphones. That accounts for 945 million mobile users.
The transition has not been left unnoticed. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain; Zuckerberg wasn’t just a guest, he was the events’ featured speaker. Given that Facebook was not as quick to move to mobile; however, once it made the shift, it was made in leaps and bounds.
Wall Street has definitely compensated Facebook for its aggressive strategy. In fact, Facebook is already up 30% this year, with a market value of over $180 billion. WhatsApp also stated that they will start offering voice calls this spring. A step that has the wireless industry worried. “WhatsApp is the most engaging app we’ve ever seen on mobile. It blows everything else away,” Zuckerberg shared.
In addition to augmenting his company, Zuckerberg also helped to form Internet.org. His goal is to create inexpensive Internet access throughout the world, with a special focus on third-world countries. We all know that Facebook conquered PCs, now it looks like it is about to conquer the mobile and wireless industry, as well.
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