Google acquired Nik's advanced photo editing software back in 2012, a suite of photo editing plug-ins designed for both amateur and professional photographers at a cost of $149. The acquisition was mainly because of Google's interest on the mobile photo editing app Snapseed, where now the company has made Nik Collection absolutely free.
The suite consists of seven series plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture that includes Analog Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, Viveza, HDR Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine. Google now offers Nik Collection for free download on both Windows and Mac.
The software provides photographers with a set of tools to easily enhance their photos. Applying Analog Efex Pro to a photo helps create a look-a-like film effect, and Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro are for adjusting the color separately. Viveza helps modify the tonality, and HDR Efex Pro builds clearer images while Sharpener Pro sharpens the image, and finally Dfine decreases the noise.
Google explained that the free giveaway was meant to focus on the company's investment in a long-term to develop great photo editing software for mobile such as Google Photos and Snapseed for both iOS and Android.
On Google's announcement states, "The Nik Collection is comprised of seven desktop plug-ins that provide a powerful range of photo editing capabilities, from filter applications that improve color correction, to retouching and creative effects, to image sharpening that brings out all the hidden details, to the ability to make adjustments to the color and tonality of images."
During the time Google first purchased German developer Nik software, it only offered six desktop plug-ins at a cost of $500. Six months after the acquisition, Google dropped the price to $149.
Now that the software is free, amateur and advanced photographers will be able to add the tools to their Photoshop and Lightroom workflows. With this shift in play, photographers may show concern to Nik plug-ins in the future where they are suitable in Google's photo software program.
As for Google, they weren't hesitant when they killed off known programs such as Picasa, and since smartphones are showing forthcoming growth, it wouldn't come as a surprise to Google bringing resources into Snapseed and Google Photos situating to which is developed by Nik.
