Nik Software
{{Short description|Software development company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nik Software
| logo = Nik Software Logo.svg
| image =
| founded = 1995
| dissolved = 2012
| founder = Nils Kokemohr
| hq_location_city = San Diego, California
| hq_location_country = United States
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|Michael J Slater (CEO)|Nils Kokemohr (CTO)|Adam Christianson (Chief Web Developer)|}}
| industry = Digital image processing, software development
| products = {{1x|* Capture NX}}
{{1x|* Complete Collection}}
{{1x|* Efex}}
{{1x|* penPalette}}
{{1x|* Snapseed}}
{{1x|* TypeEfex}}
| owner = The TECHNik Group (Germany)
| num_employees = 120 (2010)
| former_name = Nik Multimedia
| website =
}}
Nik Software was a software development company established in 1995 as Nik Multimedia Inc.{{cite journal |last1=Ashbrook |first1=Stan |date=June 2004 |title=Product--Color Efex Pro![TM] from nik multimedia, Inc |url= |journal=PSA Journal |volume=70 |issue=6 |pages=6 |doi= |access-date=}} and based in San Diego, California.{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/17/google-acquires-nik-software-the-company-behind-the-popular-snapseed-photo-editing-app-for-ios/ | title=Google Acquires Nik Software, The Company Behind The Popular Snapseed Photo Editing App For iOS | publisher=TechCrunch|website=techcrunch.com | date=September 17, 2012| last=Lardinois | first= Frederic}} The company developed multiple image editing plug-ins and tools for digital image processing software applications. Nik Software was acquired by Google in 2012.{{cite web|title=Nik Software gobbled up by Google|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/19/nik-software-gobbled-google/|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|accessdate=21 May 2015}}
History
Nik Multimedia was founded in 1995 by Nils Kokemohr in Hamburg. The firm focused on digital photography and graphic design. They initially developed Nils Efex! and Nils Type Efex! which were a combination of Photoshop extensions and textures.{{cite book|title=Nik Software Tools Bundle by Joshua A. Haftel|date=3 March 2012|publisher=John Wiley & Sons.|isbn=9781118376096|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9P9HDxQb0sMC&q=Nils+Kokemohr+Nik+software&pg=PP365}} The firm was then acquired in 1998 by the TECHnik Group and re-launched to focus on the expansion of the digital imaging and photographic markets.{{cite web |url=http://www.nikmultimedia.com/usa/company/maincontent/company.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030413233333/http://www.nikmultimedia.com/usa/company/maincontent/company.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=2003-04-13 |title=Company |last= |first= |date= |website=nikmultimedia.com |publisher=Nik Multimedia Inc. |access-date=15 March 2023 |quote=Acquired in 1998 by The TECHnik Group and re-launched to focus on the expansion of the digital imaging and photographic markets, nik multimedia, Inc. offers a variety of software solutions for various markets and applications including the photography, graphic design, pre-press/publishing, scientific imaging, and web publishing markets. }} In 1999 Michael J Slater joined as CEO of the company which subsequently grew into a respected software research and development company.
In February 2006 the company was renamed Nik Software{{cite press release |last= |first= |date=7 February 2006 |title=Nik Multimedia, Inc. Changes Name to Nik Software, Inc. and Unveils New Corporate Identity |url=http://download.niksoftware.com/downloads/pdf/usa_pressreleases/Feb_7_2006.pdf |location=San Diego, USA |publisher=Nik Software Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209034649/http://download.niksoftware.com/downloads/pdf/usa_pressreleases/Feb_7_2006.pdf |archive-date=2006-12-09}} and announced an investment and cooperation Agreement with Nikon Corporation,{{cite press release |last= |first= |date=14 February 2006 |title=Nik Software, Inc. Announces Investment and Cooperative Agreement with Nikon Corporation |url=http://download.niksoftware.com/downloads/pdf/usa_pressreleases/Feb_14_2006.pdf |location=San Diego, USA |publisher=Nik Software Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119104738/http://download.niksoftware.com/downloads/pdf/usa_pressreleases/Feb_14_2006.pdf |archive-date=2006-11-19}} who in 2010 held a 35% stake in the company. In 2010, the company had 120 employees — around 40 of whom were located in San Diego where the company was headquartered while the remaining staff (primarily engineering) were based in Hamburg, Germany.
In September 2012, Nik Software was acquired by Google for an undisclosed amount.{{cite web | url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/google-buys-nik-to-lure-photographers-to-google-plus/?_r=0 | title=Google Buys Nik to Lure Photographers to Google Plus |website=The New York Times | date=September 17, 2012| last=Miller| first= Claire}}{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/17/google-acquires-nik-software-the-company-behind-the-popular-snapseed-photo-editing-app-for-ios/|title=Google Acquires Nik Software, The Company Behind The Popular Snapseed Photo Editing App For iOS|last=Lardinois|first=Frederic|date=September 17, 2012|website=TechCrunch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918144304/http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/17/google-acquires-nik-software-the-company-behind-the-popular-snapseed-photo-editing-app-for-ios/|archive-date=September 18, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2019}}
Products
=Neal's Efex=
Neal's Efex and Type Efex were the first two products to be marketed by Nik Multimedia inc. they offered a collection of extensions for Photoshop 4 to alter the look of typefaces.{{cite web |url=http://www.nikmultimedia.com/products.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991006174926/http://www.nikmultimedia.com/products.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1999-10-06 |title=Products |last=Kokemohr |first=Nils |date=11 November 1998 |website= |publisher=Nik Multimedia Inc. |access-date=15 March 2023 |quote=}}
=Complete Collection=
In 2009, Nik packaged its range of award-winning photo editing plugin applications Dfine 2.0, Viveza, Color Efex Pro 3.0, Silver Efex Pro and Sharpener Pro 3.0 together in a single Collection.{{Cite news| title = Nik Software Announces Lightroom(R) Update to its Complete Collection of Five Award-Winning Digital Photographic Filters| work = PRWeb Newswire| date = 18 June 2009| url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A221714440/GBIB?u=nysl_ce_syr&sid=bookmark-GBIB&xid=57de0052}} The Complete Collection Ultimate Edition sold for US$599.95 and the Complete Collection for Lightroom and Aperture for US$299.95.
After acquisition, Google relaunched the collection of six applications{{Cite journal| issn = 1944-0510| volume = 77| issue = 6| title = Google now offers Nik's collection of six imaging plugins for $149| journal = Popular Photography | date = 6 January 2013}} as the Google Nik Collection and reduced its price to $150 {{cite web |last=Wauters |first=Robin |date=March 25, 2013 |title=Google bundles acquired Nik Software plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture, drops entire set price to $149 |url=https://thenextweb.com/google/2013/03/25/google-bundles-acquired-nik-software-plug-ins-drops-price-to-149-and-adds-free-trial/ |website=thenextweb.com |publisher=The Next Web}} and then, in 2016, made it completely free to use.{{cite web |last=Allan |first=Patrick |date=March 24, 2016 |title=Google's Nik Collection of Photo Editing Software Is Now Completely Free |url=http://lifehacker.com/googles-nik-collection-of-photo-editing-software-is-now-1766932934 |website=lifehacker.com |publisher=Lifehacker}}{{cite web |date=March 24, 2016 |title=Today we're making the Nik Collection available to everyone, for free. |url=https://plus.google.com/+NikCollection/posts/AFGsG2Di7EK |website=plus.google.com}}
In 2017 Google sold{{Cite web |title=Nik Collection Help |url=https://support.google.com/nikcollection/?hl=en#topic=3000839 |access-date=2017-05-30 |website=support.google.com |language=en}} the, now seven-application, collection to DxO Labs for an undisclosed amount.{{Cite web |title=DxO acquires Nik Collection assets from Google, what does this mean for the future of Nik? |url=https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/10/24/dxo-acquires-nik-collection-assets-from-google |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=www.imaging-resource.com}} DxO Labs have since added an eighth application: Perspective Efex.{{Cite web |title=DxO updates Nik Collection, releases PhotoLab 1.2 with U Point local adjustments |url=https://www.dpreview.com/news/4312085883/dxo-updates-nik-collection-releases-photolab-1-2-with-u-point-local-adjustments |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=DPReview}}{{Cite web |title=Nik Collection 3 by DxO announced: Includes new Perspective Efex, faster workflow & more |url=https://www.dpreview.com/news/0971711957/nik-collection-3-by-dxo-announced-includes-new-perspective-efex-faster-workflow-more |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=DPReview}}
= Snapseed =
Snapseed is an image editing application. It was initially released in 2011 for iOS. Subsequent versions were designed to run on MacOS and Microsoft Windows. Following the take-over, in December 2012, Google released Snapseed{{cite news|title=Google takes on Instagram with Snapseed|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9550253/Google-takes-on-Instagram-with-Snapseed.html|accessdate=21 May 2015|publisher=The Daily Telegraph}} for Android{{cite web | url=http://www.slashgear.com/google-releases-snapseed-for-android-updates-ios-version-06259861/ | title=Google releases Snapseed for Android, updates iOS version | publisher=SlashGear|website= slashgear.com | date=December 6, 2012| last=Lloyd | first= Craig}} and the desktop versions were discontinued.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9550253/Google-takes-on-Instagram-with-Snapseed.html|title=Google takes on Instagram with Snapseed|last=Kinder|first=Lucy|date=September 18, 2012|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=2019-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015358/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9550253/Google-takes-on-Instagram-with-Snapseed.html|archive-date=September 19, 2012|url-status=live|issn=0307-1235}}
= Capture NX =
Capture NX is a stand-alone photo editing program co-developed by Nik Software and Nikon, released in 2006.{{Cite web|url=http://imaging.nikon.com/history/scenes/15/index.htm|title=Behind the scenes - Capture NX|date=2011|website=Nikon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412082322/http://imaging.nikon.com/history/scenes/15/index.htm|archive-date=April 12, 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=February 3, 2019}} A new version of the program, Capture NX 2, was released in 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2010-08-04-nik04_ST_N.htm|title=Nik Software gets into photo-editing tools for 'Debbie Digital'|last=Graham|first=Jefferson|date=August 3, 2010|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110114742/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2010-08-04-nik04_ST_N.htm|archive-date=November 10, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2019}}