Facebook eyeing Face.com?

CBR writes.

Face.com is an Israeli start-up and its facial recognition technology has already been used by the social networking site.

The company was founded in 2007, but according to Israeli news publication Calcalist, it has only received $5.3 million in funding.

According to PC Advisor, if Facebook acquires Face.com, it could be motivated by a desire to own, rather than licence Face.com's technology or to "acqui-hire" the app maker's team, industry watchers said. Either way, a purchase would seem to point to increased interest in facial recognition.

The technology is now in a "sweet spot", benefiting from better computer visualisation algorithms and expanding numbers of people sharing photographs, according to Brian Blau, an analyst at Gartner.

Those familiar with the matter have confirmed the price will be $100 million, as per the media speculation in the last few days, Tech Crunch reports.

So far, Face.com itself has declined to comment. CEO Gil Hirsch told Tech Crunch via e-mail: “I have nothing to announce.”

However, among the publication's sources, one said: “Yes, the wheels are in motion on the deal.” Tech Crunch understands that lawyers are huddling over the details of the deal right now, but the acquisition is agreed.