A new report suggests that Microsoft has bought Yammer for $1 billion today. Rumors were already prevailing that Microsoft was interested in buying Yammer and that’s exactly what has happened.
Those who don’t know what Yammer is: Yammer is a fairly new social network, having launched in 2008. Yammer functions like a business version of Facebook, right down to a similar interface. Yammer is also focused on people already working in an industry, rather than providing for those simply seeking jobs. Demonstrating this point, Yammer will not allow you to sign up from an email account which is not related to the domain of the company you’re listing yourself as an employee for.
Yammer has boasted integration with Microsoft’s SharePoint since 2010, so the two already have a link. In February 2012, Yammer was valued at being worth $500,000,000. Microsoft had just bought Skype an year ago for $8.5 Billion, and this move is being taken as Microsoft’s attempt to launch themselves in the world of corporate social networking. Microsoft presently has a So.cl social network, but it is not meant for corporate users.
