There is no doubt that Google will acquire Twitter. Aside from the fact that only a handful of buyers are in a position to make this acquisition commercially, none is more suited than Google strategically.
1. Search - During the earthquake tremors in Melbourne I went straight to Twitter search for real-time updates not google.com. Fancy search algorithms aside, Twitter's real-time search is the best thing in search since....... Google.
2. Apps - Google's burgeoning apps offering would benefit greatly from a enterprise version of Twitter (as Gmail did). This feature is a no brainer and Google will probably acquire Yammer if it doesn't grab Twitter.
3. FriendConnect - Facebook Connect has proved a formidible opponent to Google's more open approach to social graph portability. Twitter users can already join Friendconnect enabled sites and Twitter profiles would merge with or supercede the underwhelming Google profiles.
4. Capability - Google is the leader in building and scaling internet infrastructure full stop - their grid platform a key competitive advantage. Anyone who has experienced the Twitter fail whale would know that Twitter would benefit from this capability and needs it in order to reach critical mass. Twitter is the leader in micro-blogging, an area which is exploding in popularity but which Google has little or no presence.
5. Openness - Google's culture of openness and accessibility is directly aligned with Twitter's approach to their API. The possibilities to marry this with App Engine and Google's ever increasing suite of open APIs is delicious.
What are your thoughts? Will Google acquire Twitter? Will Twitter go it alone? Will antitrust concerns foil their union? Or will another player emerge to snap up the hottest property on the Internet in 2009.
