Billion Dollar Buyout: The Biggest Tech Acquisitions of Recent Years

Verizon buys AOL for $4.4 billion.

Verizon Buys AOL - Verizon announced that it will buy AOL for $4.4 billion on Tuesday (May 12) morning. This acquisition sets up Verizon, which is the nation's largest wireless carrier, to enter the video and mobile arena. Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are also known for their billion-dollar buyouts. Keep reading to learn about the biggest acquisitions in tech history. -- Patrice Peck (Photos from left: AOL, Verizon)

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Verizon Buys AOL - Verizon announced that it will buy AOL for $4.4 billion on Tuesday (May 12) morning. This acquisition sets up Verizon, which is the nation's largest wireless carrier, to enter the video and mobile arena. Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are also known for their billion-dollar buyouts. Keep reading to learn about the biggest acquisitions in tech history. -- Patrice Peck (Photos from left: AOL, Verizon)

Apple Acquires Beats Music & Electronics - Aiming to regain its once-titan grip on the music business, Apple recently announced the company’s purchase of Beats Music and Electronics for $3 billion. Co-founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine will work closely with Apple. (Photos from left: Andrew Burton/Getty Images, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Apple Acquires Beats Music & Electronics - Aiming to regain its once-titan grip on the music business, Apple recently announced the company’s purchase of Beats Music and Electronics for $3 billion. Co-founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine will work closely with Apple. (Photos from left: Andrew Burton/Getty Images, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Facebook Acquires Oculus - Facebook sparked yet another headline frenzy in March 2014 once the public learned of its $2 billion purchase of the virtual-reality technology Oculus VR.(Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

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Facebook Acquires Oculus - Facebook sparked yet another headline frenzy in March 2014 once the public learned of its $2 billion purchase of the virtual-reality technology Oculus VR.(Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Facebook Acquires WhatsApp - The Oculus acquisition is not the first nor largest acquisition that Facebook has made. In February 2014, the social network bought mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion — the second biggest tech acquisition ever. They also bought Instagram for $1.1 billion in 2012.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Facebook Acquires WhatsApp - The Oculus acquisition is not the first nor largest acquisition that Facebook has made. In February 2014, the social network bought mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion — the second biggest tech acquisition ever. They also bought Instagram for $1.1 billion in 2012.(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Microsoft Acquires Nokia - In September 2013, Microsoft announced that it would buy Nokia's Device & Services business for over $7 billion. The deal was expected to close in the first quarter of this year, but Microsoft recently announced a delay until April.(Photos: Microsoft, Nokia)

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Microsoft Acquires Nokia - In September 2013, Microsoft announced that it would buy Nokia's Device & Services business for over $7 billion. The deal was expected to close in the first quarter of this year, but Microsoft recently announced a delay until April.(Photos: Microsoft, Nokia)

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Google Acquires Motorola  - Search engine giant Google locked down a deal with Motorola in May 2012, purchasing the cellphone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. Then, in January 2014, Google dumped the asset for $2.91 billion.(Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Google Acquires Motorola  - Search engine giant Google locked down a deal with Motorola in May 2012, purchasing the cellphone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. Then, in January 2014, Google dumped the asset for $2.91 billion.(Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Yahoo Acquires Tumblr - Eager to gain exposure in the world of social content, tech veteran Yahoo bought Tumblr, a microblogging service popular among teens, for $1.1 billion in cash in 2013.(Photos: Yahoo, Tumblr)

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Yahoo Acquires Tumblr - Eager to gain exposure in the world of social content, tech veteran Yahoo bought Tumblr, a microblogging service popular among teens, for $1.1 billion in cash in 2013.(Photos: Yahoo, Tumblr)

Microsoft Acquires Skype - Internet communications company Skype was purchased by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in October 2011. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, said the deal would let his company "be more ambitious."(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Microsoft Acquires Skype - Internet communications company Skype was purchased by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in October 2011. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, said the deal would let his company "be more ambitious."(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Google Acquires YouTube - Only one year after its launch in 2006, video-sharing website YouTube was acquired by Google for $1.65 billion.(Photos: Google, YouTube)

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Google Acquires YouTube - Only one year after its launch in 2006, video-sharing website YouTube was acquired by Google for $1.65 billion.(Photos: Google, YouTube)

eBay Acquires PayPal - In 2002, major e-commerce player eBay purchased online payments company PayPal in a deal valued at $1.5 billion. This deal is considered one of the most important acquisitions in the history of the tech industry.(Photos: eBay, PayPal)

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eBay Acquires PayPal - In 2002, major e-commerce player eBay purchased online payments company PayPal in a deal valued at $1.5 billion. This deal is considered one of the most important acquisitions in the history of the tech industry.(Photos: eBay, PayPal)