Update: Hope you had that grain of salt with you. WhatsApp says it’s not talking to Google.

Rumors are circulating that Google is in talks to acquire WhatsApp. The root appears to be Digital Trends, which cites “an inside source” as saying the deal was started four or five weeks ago:

While the deal started four or five weeks ago, we’ve been told that WhatsApp is “playing hardball” and jockeying for a higher acquisition price, which currently is “close to” $1 billion right now.

A billion dollars, huh?

Here’s the official description for WhatsApp:

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

In addition to basic messaging WhatsApp users can create groups, send each other unlimited images, video and audio media messages.

Again, this is just a rumor stemming from one unnamed source, so keep a grain of salt handy.

Google acquisitions of 2013 so far include: Channel Intelligence, DNNresearch, and Web Application Server Talaria.