Following news of Facebook’s surprise acquisition of Oculus VR for $2 billion, Mark Zuckerberg shared some impressive numbers regarding the social network’s sustained mobile growth. Facebook has an “active” mobile user base of 1 billion, Zuckerberg announced, while the Facebook-owned Instagram has 200 million active users of its own.
This means that Instagram has added 100 million users since Facebook acquired it back in April 2012. Under Facebook’s control the Instagram iOS app has been regularly updated, much like Facebook’s own iOS app.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, Facebook had 945 million active mobile users, out of a total of 1.23 billion users.
Facebook also recently introduced its minimalistic News Feed browsing app Paper to much acclaim.
With Oculus VR, Facebook meanwhile plans to take its technology to what it sees as technology’s next untapped platform. According to Zuckerberg:
“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow. Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”
Perhaps thinking along the same lines, Apple published a patent for some Oculus Rift-style goggles at the end of last year.
Source: TNW