[Hx] PDFpen Smile to Nitro; Subscription Model most common for enterprise space
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daniel keganlaw.com
Jul 12, 2021, 8:54:01 PM7/12/21
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> Begin forwarded message:
> From: TidBITS <sup...@tidbits.com>
> Subject: Nitro Acquires PDFpen from Smile
> Date: July 12, 2021 at 3:30:03 PM CDT
>
> Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for over 30 years
> ADAM ENGST 12 July 2021
> Nitro Acquires PDFpen from Smile
> Mergers and acquisitions aren’t common in the indie developer universe around Apple, so I was intrigued when I heard that long-time TidBITS sponsor Smile was selling PDFpen to Nitro Software, a company specializing in PDF tools in the Windows world. After calls with Smile co-founder Philip Goward and Nitro’s chief product officer, Sam Thorpe, I have a better understanding of the situation. . . .
>
> As Macs, iPhones, and iPads have become more prevalent in the enterprise, largely as a result of employee-choice and “bring your own device” programs (see “JNUC 2017: A Glimpse into the World of Apple Enterprise,” 3 November 2017), the need for Nitro to expand into the Apple world became apparent. PDFpen was an obvious choice, and both Philip Goward and Sam Thorpe emphasized how the deal was aided by the fact that Smile and Nitro have very similar corporate cultures.
>
> Nitro will pay $6 million in cash for PDFpen, and the entire PDFpen team will be joining Nitro. Sam Thorpe noted that Nitro was extremely interested in the team’s roadmap for PDFpen and appreciation of the nuances of developing for Apple-focused customers, so it seems safe to say that we shouldn’t expect to see significant technical or interface changes. The name will also remain the same, though likely with some Nitro cobranding. What may change eventually is the licensing model, with subscriptions being offered after a few more major releases. Along those lines, PDFpen will remain in the Setappsubscription service, and Thorpe noted that PDFpen revenue from that source was growing at a double-digit rate.
>
> Where things will change is in the enterprise world. Nitro doesn’t currently have a solution for Apple users in the enterprise, and PDFpen isn’t a big player there now. So an enterprise version of PDFpen will likely take on the Nitro Pro name and will rely on a subscription model, like most other apps in the enterprise space. The recurring revenue generated by the subscriptions will help pay for developing the integrations with other systems—document signing, analytics, SDKs, and so on—that large organizations find compelling. ...
>
> - Daniel Kegan, Chicago
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> From: TidBITS <sup...@tidbits.com>
> Subject: Nitro Acquires PDFpen from Smile
> Date: July 12, 2021 at 3:30:03 PM CDT
>
> Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for over 30 years
> ADAM ENGST 12 July 2021
> Nitro Acquires PDFpen from Smile
> Mergers and acquisitions aren’t common in the indie developer universe around Apple, so I was intrigued when I heard that long-time TidBITS sponsor Smile was selling PDFpen to Nitro Software, a company specializing in PDF tools in the Windows world. After calls with Smile co-founder Philip Goward and Nitro’s chief product officer, Sam Thorpe, I have a better understanding of the situation. . . .
>
> As Macs, iPhones, and iPads have become more prevalent in the enterprise, largely as a result of employee-choice and “bring your own device” programs (see “JNUC 2017: A Glimpse into the World of Apple Enterprise,” 3 November 2017), the need for Nitro to expand into the Apple world became apparent. PDFpen was an obvious choice, and both Philip Goward and Sam Thorpe emphasized how the deal was aided by the fact that Smile and Nitro have very similar corporate cultures.
>
> Nitro will pay $6 million in cash for PDFpen, and the entire PDFpen team will be joining Nitro. Sam Thorpe noted that Nitro was extremely interested in the team’s roadmap for PDFpen and appreciation of the nuances of developing for Apple-focused customers, so it seems safe to say that we shouldn’t expect to see significant technical or interface changes. The name will also remain the same, though likely with some Nitro cobranding. What may change eventually is the licensing model, with subscriptions being offered after a few more major releases. Along those lines, PDFpen will remain in the Setappsubscription service, and Thorpe noted that PDFpen revenue from that source was growing at a double-digit rate.
>
> Where things will change is in the enterprise world. Nitro doesn’t currently have a solution for Apple users in the enterprise, and PDFpen isn’t a big player there now. So an enterprise version of PDFpen will likely take on the Nitro Pro name and will rely on a subscription model, like most other apps in the enterprise space. The recurring revenue generated by the subscriptions will help pay for developing the integrations with other systems—document signing, analytics, SDKs, and so on—that large organizations find compelling. ...
>
> - Daniel Kegan, Chicago
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