Yesterday, Google and Microsoft stepped into the ring for the last round of fights over a 5-10% stake in Facebook, according to the New York Post, whose sources claimed that if Google won the fight, one of their first tasks would be to unwind Microsoft’s ad deal with Facebook.
Too bad, Google. The Facebook/Microsoft relationship just got stronger. According to a recent statement, Facebook announced that Microsoft will take a $240 million equity stake in Facebook’s next round of financing at a $15 billion valuation, and the companies will expand their existing advertising partnership. Microsoft will be the exclusive third-party advertising platform partner for Facebook, and will begin to sell advertising for Facebook internationally and in the United States.
