In 2010, Google completed its acquisition of AdMob, the mobile advertising network founded by Omar Hamoui.
Google announced the purchase in November 2009 for approximately $750 million in Google stock, and the transaction was completed on May 27, 2010. AdMob’s technology helped advertisers reach people using mobile websites and applications, while giving app developers a way to generate revenue from free or low-cost software.
AdMob was incorporated in 2006 while Hamoui was studying at the Wharton School. Its name combines “advertising” and “mobile.” The company supported advertising across platforms including Android, iOS, webOS, Windows Phone, and mobile web browsers.
Apple was a particularly plausible distractor because it also expressed interest in buying AdMob in 2009 and 2010. Google ultimately won the bidding, and AdMob became part of Google’s advertising ecosystem. It should not be confused with Google AdSense, which historically focused more broadly on web-publishing advertising, although Google later rebuilt AdMob using technology from services such as AdSense.