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Yahoo buys and dismantles messaging app Blink

Yahoo has purchased messaging app Blink, a similar, self-destructing service to Snapchat.
Written by Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer
blink

Yahoo has purchased Blink, poaching the top talent behind the messaging app as the company continues to expand its reach within mobility.

The team behind Blink posted an update Tuesday which revealed the deal, saying that Blink staff will be joining the tech giant. The team said:

"We built Blink because we believe everyone should be free to show the same honesty and spontaneity in their online conversations as they can in person. We look forward to the possibilities that will come from bringing the Blink vision to Yahoo.

In the next few weeks, we will be shutting down Blink for both Android and iOS. We can’t begin to express how grateful we are for your support throughout this journey. We hope you stick with us through the next chapter."

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The mobile application allowed users to send text messages, pictures and audio files that would self-destruct in a similar manner to the popular messaging service Snapchat. Once a message is sent, it can only be viewed for a certain timeframe before content deletes itself.

Yahoo's acquisition of the messaging service brings the app's seven staff to its Sunnyvale, Calif. headquarters in order to work on "smart communication products." Kevin Stephens and Michelle Norgan, two former Google employees, will be part of the team moving over to Yahoo. Blink joins roughly 40 startups acquired by Yahoo since CEO Marissa Mayer took the helm two years ago.

Messaging applications have captured the interest of large Internet firms in recent times. Last year, Snapchat reportedly received a multi-billion acquisition offer from Facebook, and the social media giant's Snapchat clone, Poke, was quietly discontinued last week. In February, Facebook acquired Whatsapp for $16 billion.

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