Forget Facebook, Microsoft to buy Yammer, the Enterprise Social Network

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Microsoft, who have already flagged a big announcement for next week, are said to have bought the “Enterprise Social Network” for a massive $12bn, which could help as it launches Windows 8 OS and also would bolster its Office suite.

The purchase was flagged by the Wall Street Journal today, who say a $12 bn pricetag is attached to the Internet start-up.

Yammer allows instant messaging between employees, is a “private” social network and would be an important weapon against the might of messaging services from Google and even Facebook.

It currently has four million users in over 200,000 organisations in the three years since its launch in ’08.

Major corporate users include Deloitte, Ford, Nationwide, 7-Eleven, Orbitz Worldwide and Telefonica O2.

And Yammer has a few things in common with Facebook – both the Enterprise and Network share the same first investor, Peter Thiel.

It is also backed by Social+Capital Partnership – a fund established by former Facebook Vice President, Chamath Palihapitiya.

Yammer was named “Innovative Application Software Company Under $100 Million to Watch,” 2011 by analysts IDC.