Skyfire (company)
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Skyfire is a software company founded in 2007, and acquired by Opera Software ASA, now
Otello Corporation Otello Corporation ASA (formerly Opera Software ASA) is a Norway, Norwegian internet company which develops advertising and mobile software for operators, publishers and advertisers. It operates through its subsidiaries which include AdColony (fo ...
, in 2013. In 2015, the company became the Network Solutions division of Opera, and ceased using the Skyfire brand name. They offer network optimization technologies including video optimization and monetization tools for carriers. Skyfire discontinued its Skyfire Web Browser in 2014 in order to consolidate its focus on its
mobile operator A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...
technology. Skyfire was funded by
venture capital Venture capital (VC) is a form of private equity financing provided by firms or funds to start-up company, startup, early-stage, and emerging companies, that have been deemed to have high growth potential or that have demonstrated high growth in ...
,Skyfire About Us Page
/ref> and was acquired by Opera Software ASA in March 2013.


History

Skyfire was found in 2007 by Nitin Bhandari and Erik Swenson. The company was originally named DVC Labs but changed their name in 2008. Skyfire received initial funding of $4.8 million from
Matrix Partners Matrix (formerly Matrix Partners) is a US-based venture capital investment firm. The firm invests in seed and early-stage companies in the United States and India, particularly in the software, communications, semiconductors, data storage, Int ...
and Trinity Ventures in June 2007. Skyfire increased their funding in 2008 with an additional $13 million investment from
Lightspeed Venture Partners Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm focusing on seed stage, early stage investments and growth stage investments in the enterprise, fintech, consumer and healthcare sectors. Lightspeed has eleven offices globally and as o ...
, Matrix and Trinity. As part of the investment, a Lightspeed Ventures partner joined the board of directors. In January 2012, they received $8 million from
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
Investments LLC, Matrix, Trinity, and Lightspeed. In 2010, Skyfire purchased Kolbysoft, which allowed them to extend their web browser for the Android marketplace with Kolby's Steel Web Browser. In October 2012, SkyFire raised $10 million in series D financing from Panorama Capital, which is a venture capital firm that spun out from JP Morgan Chase in 2006. On February 15, 2013, Skyfire was acquired by Opera Software for $155 millionOpera primarily eyed Skyfire for its video optimization technologies, which complements its own content optimization technologies. In February 2015, the company ceased using the Skyfire brand name, and became the Network Solutions division of parent company
Opera Software ASA Otello Corporation ASA (formerly Opera Software ASA) is a Norway, Norwegian internet company which develops advertising and mobile software for operators, publishers and advertisers. It operates through its subsidiaries which include AdColony (fo ...
.


Technology

Skyfire offers two main products: its Rocket Optimizer video, audio and multimedia optimization software and Skyfire Horizon browser extension platform.


Rocket Optimizer

Skyfire's Rocket Optimizer is a platform used by wireless operators to optimize video and images and save bandwidth while allowing multimedia, particularly video, to load more smoothly at times of poor wireless connectivity. It can optimize most unencrypted online videos in real-time. It optimizes based on device type and
network congestion Network congestion in data networking and queueing theory is the reduced quality of service that occurs when a network node or link is carrying more data than it can handle. Typical effects include queueing delay, packet loss or the blocking of ...
levels. It does so by performing greater and best optimization for smaller screen sizes with minimal impact on the end user and optimizes more heavily when networks are experiencing higher traffic rates. Rocket Optimizer 3.0 is the most recent version of Skyfire's carrier-grade network video and data optimization platform, and was launched in January 2013. It offers real-time optimization of mobile video to enable smoother streaming, and allows for the ability to measure, quantify and then mitigate congestion down to a per-stream level. The platform also supports video formats, including MP4 (which comprises most HTML5 and iOS video). It can be used on both 3G and 4G LTE networks.


Skyfire Horizon

Skyfire's Horizon is a web browser extension framework to the native smartphone browser. The toolbar is a fully customizable web-based operator portal embedded in the default browser of new smartphones. It offers extensions that can be customized by mobile and end users. It includes a web-based management portal that allows an operator to define extensions via the
cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles, suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...
without needing to update client software. It allows personal services to users and also
ad serving Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of interest to consumers. It is typically used ...
capabilities. The product is currently deployed on multiple tier one carriers in North America, and is in numerous trials across the U.S. and Europe. In October 2012, Sprint added Skyfire Horizon to their Pinsight Media+ promotion, and its upcoming Android devices.


Skyfire Web Browser

Skyfire Web Browser was a downloadable mobile web browser which rendered requested web pages on a proprietary server and relayed them to the browser on the end user's mobile phone, which then displayed the content. It comprised two distinct generations of mobile browser technology. In the first generation (1.x) browser, a web page was fully rendered by a server separate from the mobile device, similar to the operation of a thin client. This approach is also used by Opera Mini. The second generation (2.x) browser employed a hybrid approach, using a conventional rendering of web pages on the handheld device, but streaming video from Skyfire's servers. The browser received the Webby "People's Voice Award for Best Mobile Application" in 2009. and was also recognized in 2010 by
PC World ''PC World'' (stylized as PCWorld) is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. Since 2013, it has been an online-only publication. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal tec ...
as the World's Best Third-Party Android Browser. and was named the "#2 Android App of All Time" by Tech Crunch. In 2011, it was named the "Top iPad Utility" by Apple. The Skyfire Web Browser was supported on iOS, Android, SymbianOS and Windows Mobile devices before being discontinued in May 2014.


Awards

Skyfire was recognized as one of the top ten startup companies to watch by Light Reading's in 2011. The company was also listed by
Red Herring A red herring is something that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important question. It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion. A red herring may be used intentiona ...
for being one of the top 100 most innovative companies in 2012. Skyfire won a grand prize in the 2012 TIA Venture Network Challenge. The company also won Best in Show at the 2013 Fierce Innovation Awards for Rocket Optimizer.


References


External links


Company Homepage
{{Web browsers Discontinued mobile web browsers Privately held companies of the United States American companies established in 2007 Telecommunications companies of the United States Software companies established in 2007 Software companies based in Mountain View, California 2013 mergers and acquisitions Companies based in Mountain View, California