# Google Buys Nik Software



## Canon Rumors Guy (Sep 17, 2012)

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<p><strong>From left field</strong><a href="http://www.google.com" target="_blank">

Google Inc</a> said it bought Germany-based <a href="http://www.niksoftware.com" target="_blank">Nik Software</a>, which makes photo editing application Snapseed, a rival to Instagram, for an undisclosed amount.</p>
<p>“We want to help our users create photos they absolutely love, and in our experience Nik does this better than anyone,” said Vic Gundotra, senior vice president, engineering, on a Google+ post.</p>
<p>Source: [<a href="http://ca.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idCABRE88G13920120917" target="_blank">Reuters</a>]</p>
<p><em><strong>*EDIT:</strong> Reuters is a bit incorrect, Snapseed really isn’t a competitor to Instagram, perhaps they hope to push it that way. I guess it’s safe to say that Nik applications will probably find their way to Android.</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>
```


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## cbphoto (Sep 17, 2012)

This does not excite me. The last time a juggernaut bought a small company (Microsoft & iView Media Pro), the software languished to the point that it wasn't worth using. (I'm thankful for Phase One stopping that descent).


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## mustafa (Sep 17, 2012)

Love Nik products, let's hope Google can sort out their update notification/activate process, which is, let's just say, sub-optimal. Certainly not as effective as OnOne's, or even Adobe's.


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## thesecretbarn (Sep 17, 2012)

Snapseed is a rival to Instagram? Maybe in the way that Lightroom is a rival to Flickr. They do completely different things.


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## Canon Rumors Guy (Sep 17, 2012)

thesecretbarn said:


> Snapseed is a rival to Instagram? Maybe in the way that Lightroom is a rival to Flickr. They do completely different things.



I agree, I updated the post.


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## K-amps (Sep 17, 2012)

$50 Complete Nik Suite 2013 FTW !


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## kukhuvud (Sep 17, 2012)

K-amps said:


> $50 Complete Nik Suite 2013 FTW !



That would make my day even at $250


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## darrellrhodesmiller (Sep 17, 2012)

these are by far my fav plugins.. colorFX and silverFX are phenominal.. Dfine and their new HDR 2.0 are VERY VERY good too.. i hope google takes them under their wing but doesnt ruin them. 

D


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## jalbfb (Sep 17, 2012)

mustafa said:


> Love Nik products, let's hope Google can sort out their update notification/activate process, which is, let's just say, sub-optimal. Certainly not as effective as OnOne's, or even Adobe's.



YIKES! I agree. I have NIK complete so I hope this doesn't effect it in anyway and that they continue with their extensive amount of free educational videos.


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## dirtcastle (Sep 17, 2012)

Apparently Nik was in business for 17 years. Wow. One thing to consider is that Nik might not have been very profitable; and so this would be a well-deserved reward for the founders.

I agree that this probably does not bode well for Nik's pro / client-based apps. It seems likely that Google will carry various Nik features into new Google products. But it does seem likely that Google will discontinue the Nik software line in its current form. This acquisition of Nik could also be an "acqui-hire" where they simply want to use the Nik team on totally new Google projects.

R.I.P. Silver Efex???


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## zim (Sep 17, 2012)

Wonder how many Apple patents this buyout will get round? 8)

As always with this sort of things I hope the codes jobs are secure, I'm sure the directors will be fine


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## Canon-F1 (Sep 17, 2012)

another buyout..... sad.

horrible news i guess... judging from past experiences.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Sep 17, 2012)

cbphoto said:


> This does not excite me. The last time a juggernaut bought a small company (Microsoft & iView Media Pro), the software languished to the point that it wasn't worth using. (I'm thankful for Phase One stopping that descent).



Yeah, maybe it works out, but it does seem a bit worrisome....
too bad I think
we will see
but very worrisome
the only plugins i use


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## Meh (Sep 17, 2012)

dirtcastle said:


> Apparently Nik was in business for 17 years. Wow. One thing to consider is that Nik might not have been very profitable; and so this would be a well-deserved reward for the founders.
> 
> I agree that this probably does not bode well for Nik's pro / client-based apps. It seems likely that Google will carry various Nik features into new Google products. But it does seem likely that Google will discontinue the Nik software line in its current form. This acquisition of Nik could also be an "acqui-hire" where they simply want to use the Nik team on totally new Google projects.
> 
> R.I.P. Silver Efex???



Maybe, that happens a lot... more and more it seems. But in this case I doubt it (or I hope not) since Nik is a very well established and respected brand, with a revenue stream (profit unknown though), and good following among photogs. Keeping the full brand alive gives Google credibility in photography which most pundits agree images are key now to social networks.

And with the purchase getting Snapspeed (totally agree NOT comparable to Instagram) Google shows they are focused on good image tools for mobile not just on popular image sharing portals. Combine that with the great Nik tools and Google could have a real presence. Google+ is focused on quality (not to say it's popular generally but it is among many photgraphers) not quick hits so this all makes sense.

This is a really cool acquisition for Google. Having said that.... will Google make it better or destroy it? Time will tell.


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## t.linn (Sep 17, 2012)

darrellrhodesmiller said:


> these are by far my fav plugins.. colorFX and silverFX are phenominal.. Dfine and their new HDR 2.0 are VERY VERY good too.. i hope google takes them under their wing but doesnt ruin them.
> 
> D



Exactly. Nik seems head and shoulders above everyone else. I sometimes wonder if Adobe doesn't wish some of Nik's software engineers worked for them. It would be a shame if this killed off Nik as we know it.

Having said that, Vic Gondotra is an amateur photographer himself so it's not like he doesn't appreciate what they're getting.


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## Meh (Sep 17, 2012)

zim said:


> Wonder how many Apple patents this buyout will get round? 8)
> 
> As always with this sort of things I hope the codes jobs are secure, I'm sure the directors will be fine



Usually the other way around I think... Founders, Directors, upper management do well financially from the sale... the technical teams get jobs paid by Google... in this case some may move into other areas of Google, some stay with the Nik team, some some stay or move into the Snapspeed team (since Google will want to expand it), some may leave.


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## bchernicoff (Sep 17, 2012)

Anyone think a preemptive petition is in order? Maybe if Google sees some early groundswell in support of the plugins they will be less tempted to axe them.


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## zim (Sep 17, 2012)

Meh said:


> zim said:
> 
> 
> > Wonder how many Apple patents this buyout will get round? 8)
> ...



What's the other way round?
I'm just hoping that the troups are ok that's all, upper management always do well. Don't think we are saying anything different


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## jalbfb (Sep 17, 2012)

t.linn said:


> darrellrhodesmiller said:
> 
> 
> > these are by far my fav plugins.. colorFX and silverFX are phenominal.. Dfine and their new HDR 2.0 are VERY VERY good too.. i hope google takes them under their wing but doesnt ruin them.
> ...



someone asked Google this very thing and Vic replied https://plus.google.com/u/0/109674480414473952661/posts/9xAwogyeohZ.


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## distant.star (Sep 17, 2012)

bchernicoff said:


> Anyone think a preemptive petition is in order? Maybe if Google sees some early groundswell in support of the plugins they will be less tempted to axe them.



Petition??

I'm sure Big G will get a big laugh out of that!


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## Nancy Goodenough (Sep 17, 2012)

******.

Can you imagine when it comes time to update to CS7, if Nik's Google software doesn't get updated to work with CS7 because Google is fighting with Adobe? I use Nik more than PS, but I use both a lot.

This is not a happy day.

www.flickr.com/photos/nancygoodenough


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## K-amps (Sep 17, 2012)

LetTheRightLensIn said:


> cbphoto said:
> 
> 
> > This does not excite me. The last time a juggernaut bought a small company (Microsoft & iView Media Pro), the software languished to the point that it wasn't worth using. (I'm thankful for Phase One stopping that descent).
> ...



Try Topaz detail and Topaz Denoise.... very good complements to Nik Define. One more thing I use is Nik Viveza. the interface & tools are quick and impactful. With their "Structure" brush, I can get amazing details form skies, not normally visible unless you do HDR.


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## Nancy Goodenough (Sep 17, 2012)

K-amps said:


> LetTheRightLensIn said:
> 
> 
> > cbphoto said:
> ...



I have the Topaz suite and it's not nearly as subtle or powerful as Nik's CEP, SEP, Viveza. Maybe if Nik gets pushed to a back shelf by Google, Topaz will step up and into the void. They have a big motivation to do that now, not that they haven't tried. Maybe hire some Nik people.


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## Plato the Wise (Sep 17, 2012)

When you are a giant in the software industry (or any business), it is easier or more cost effective to buy patents, technology, or a brand that is well established and works. Software can take years and millions to develop properly and now Google has just leapfrogged its abilities in this category.

They may just leave the management structure and products in tact and use the digital assets to promote their business agenda.


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## RGomezPhotos (Sep 17, 2012)

dirtcastle said:


> Apparently Nik was in business for 17 years. Wow. One thing to consider is that Nik might not have been very profitable; and so this would be a well-deserved reward for the founders.
> 
> I agree that this probably does not bode well for Nik's pro / client-based apps. It seems likely that Google will carry various Nik features into new Google products. But it does seem likely that Google will discontinue the Nik software line in its current form. This acquisition of Nik could also be an "acqui-hire" where they simply want to use the Nik team on totally new Google projects.
> 
> R.I.P. Silver Efex???



I agree. They might not have been that profitable. I'm sure Google was waiving some nice cash in their eyes...

And this is bad news. Goodbye Photoshop/Lightroom plug-ins....


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## jrista (Sep 17, 2012)

Hmm...Not sure this news makes me happy. I like what Nik Software produces, but Google doesn't do desktop apps. They historically suck at them. Google also has the bad habit of screwing their valuable purchase to hell for a few years before they finally get them sorta kinda back on their feet. I used to LOVE DejaNews....then Google bought it, DejaNews entirely disappeared, then Google News popped onto the scene in RADICALLY INFERIOR form...and Google News is still a sucky product today.

Meh. UN-HAPPY.


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## Meh (Sep 17, 2012)

zim said:


> Meh said:
> 
> 
> > zim said:
> ...



Sorry, I didn't word that very well.... to your point that you hope the coders will keep their jobs but the Directors will be fine... I think the usual is that the coders jobs are safe and the directors lose their jobs (but of course they do well financially from the sale). Yes, we may have been saying almost the same thing.


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## charlesa (Sep 18, 2012)

Does not augur well for Nik and their plugins...


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## SDsc0rch (Sep 18, 2012)

i dont have a good feeling about this

i *just* bought nik complete collection - been waiting for *months*

and now... google buys them :/


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## Shnookums (Sep 18, 2012)

I bet we'll see Control Point technology in Picassa soon. The Control Point patent must be the only reason why Google bought Nik


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## K-amps (Sep 18, 2012)

Shnookums said:


> I bet we'll see Control Point technology in Picassa soon. The Control Point patent must be the only reason why Google bought Nik



+1 
That and other patents...


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## Saunders12 (Jan 29, 2013)

generally i use instagram. i am not having so much knowledge about Nix .


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## charlesa (Jan 29, 2013)

As long at they do not take SEP2 away from me I am happy ;D


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