As part of Facebook's ongoing push to add another billion users to its massive social network, the company has purchased Pryte, a small app maker from Finland, as part of its growing strategy to focus on emerging markets.
The acquisition is a step in developing better mobile data packages that would be based on app usage through the Finnish company's knowledge of selling such data.
According to the reports on the acquisition, the terms of the agreement have not been revealed. The reports indicate Pryte had not yet launched officially, but it does have a website and has been working with other companies.
A note on the Pryte website posted by the company did confirm the deal and added that it had begun "enabling partnerships between app and content providers, and mobile operators."
This acquisition boosts Facebook's continued effort to enter areas of the world that don't have access to affordable Internet service. In order to use Facebook, and its other subsidiaries, one must be online, and so Facebook has taken that understanding and begun developing a number of strategies to get into new markets.
And it gives Facebook, according to observers, a better knowledge and experience in connectivity functionality that Pryte has already been able to understand and develop. Pryte offers single-click buying of mobile data on a need-to and per app basis, its website says, mobile data on demand.
Pryte appeared to echo Facebook's sentiments on emerging markets in their note to the public.
"Now, we're joining Facebook, whose mission to connect the world by partnering with operators to bring people online in a profitable way aligns closely with our team's goals," the note says.
The Finnish team appeared excited over the future with the Silicon Valley social network.
"We are excited to get started, and make an even greater impact by advancing the work we are doing in collaboration with Facebook's great team working to further Internet.org's goal of making affordable Internet access available to everyone in the world."
With rival Google also looking at ways of delivering Internet to under-served areas of the planet, Facebook believes it can compete in what is quickly becoming a race to deliver, with both companies making acquisitions in recent weeks to push that agenda forward.
With the Pryte acquisition, Facebook should gain a better understanding of delivery and content data, which would be a huge part of a strategy to deliver on its goal of a global Internet for most.
