Softonic.com
 | |
Type of site | Shareware portal |
|---|---|
| Available in | Dutch, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, arabic, English, Japanese, Bulgarian, Swedish and others |
| Owner | Privately Held |
| Created by | Tomás Diago |
| Website |
en |
| Alexa rank |
 290 (October 2016)[1] |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Required |
| Launched | 1997 |
| Current status | Online |
Softonic.com is a software and app discovery portal based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and founded in 1997.[2] It reaches over 100 million users[3] per month and at its height of popularity, delivered more than 6 million downloads per day.[4]
History
Softonic started in 1997 as a file-oriented download service called Shareware Intercom,[5] at Intercom Online (Grupo Intercom), a provider of Internet services in Cerdanyola del Vallès, near Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). Originally files for the website came from the "Files Library Intercom BBS" at Intercom Online, using a "5-step semi-automated process", which was later greatly simplified.[6] The company also offered monthly CDs of its software library for users tired of "having to wait for downloads to complete or pay exorbitant phone bills."[7] In 1999, the service was described as having a "generosity of games, antivirus, education and the long, seductive etcetera."[8] In 2000, the company became independent under the name Softonic.[9] In 2004, Softonic was made available in German, and in 2005, English.[10] Initially the service was oriented only to downloads of DOS and Windows software,[11] but it evolved to offer software downloads for Mac and mobile platforms. Softonic was listed as the "Best place to work in Spain (100-250 employees)" in an annual study by the Great Place to Work Institute, in 2009-2011, and as second-best in 2008.[12][13] In 2009 and 2011, the site was listed as having the most unique visitor traffic in Spain by audit bureau OJD Interactiva.[14][15]
At the end of 2014, Softonic announced that a headcount reduction procedure would be carried out as a cost-cutting measure, allegedly due to financial, productional and organizational reasons. In December, the company formalized the dismissal of 156 employees, against the initial estimation of 207.[16]
In February, 2015, Softonic announced that industry veteran and Download.com co-founder Scott Arpajian had been appointed as CEO of Softonic, replacing Tomás Diago.[17]
In July 2016, Softonic announced a partnership with business software platform Crozdesk.[18]
AdInstaller in Downloads
Softonic experimented with a number of distribution techniques between 2009 and 2015, including development of the "Softonic Toolbar", a Windows-only 4MB web browser add-on for Firefox and Internet Explorer which provided company-specific content, online services, and streamed music.[19] Downloads hosted by Softonic were accompanied by a customized "Softonic Downloader" which showed commercial offers, including the Softonic Toolbar.[20] During this time, the site was severely criticised for its downloads installing adware even if the user opted out of its installation.[21][22][23][24][25]
Following the announcement of Scott Arpajian as the new CEO in February 2015, Softonic announced that it would immediately cease utilizing the Softonic Downloader[26] as part of its "Clean and Safe" software initiative,[27] and downloads no longer include the Softonic Toolbar.
References
- ↑ "Softonic.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
- ↑ - About Softonic - CrunchBase)
- ↑ "Softonic surpasses the figure of 100 million unique users a month"..
- ↑ "Our story - Softonic Corporate". Softonic Corporate.
- ↑ "Shareware". Intercom.es.
- ↑ "Backstage" (in Spanish). Shareware.Intercom.es. Archived from the original on February 21, 1999. (English tr.).
- ↑ "CDROMs Softonic". Softonic.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2000.
|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ "Enredados (Tangled)" (in Spanish). Spain: El Tiempo. December 19, 1999.(English tr.)
- ↑ "About Softonic". Softonic.com. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ↑ "About Softonic". Softonic.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2005.
- ↑ "Shareware.intercom" (in Spanish). shareware.intercom.es. Archived from the original on December 24, 1997.
- ↑ "Best Workplaces in Spain 2011". Great Place to Work. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ↑ "Vodafone, Louis Vuitton y Softonic, entre las mejores empresas para trabajar en España". El Mundo (in Spanish). April 22, 2010.
- ↑ "Auditoría Online - Certificación Audiencia - Difusión Medios Online". Archived from the original on 2009-06-15.
- ↑ "MES: SEPTIEMBRE 2011 - TIPO DE DATO: TOTALES - TRÁFICO NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL". ojdinteractiva.es. (sort by "N.UNICOS", sort by "PAGINAS")
- ↑ "Softonic acuerda con la plantilla 156 despidos, frente a los 207 planteados". 18 December 2014.
- ↑ "Softonic Names Scott Arpajian New CEO"
- ↑ "Crozdesk announces partnership with Softonic to help millions of businesses find the right software"
- ↑ "Softonic Toolbar". Softonic.com. March 24, 2010.
- ↑ "Softonic Toolbar" download page. Softonic.com.
- ↑ "Community reviews of softonic.com - Norton Safe Web".
- ↑ djævlen selv. "Softonic Reviews - Customer Service Reviews of Softonic - www.softonic.com". Trustpilot.
- ↑ "Another problematic Softonioc installer brings Adware".
- ↑ "Softonic delivers adware".
- ↑ "Softonic Download Site Briefly Delivers Trojan Adware Installer". The Mac Security Blog.
- ↑ "Q&A with Softonic's CEO Scott Arpajian: from desktop software juggernaut to 'mobile first' restart". Novobrief.
- ↑ "Softonic Clean & Safe - Softonic Corporate". Softonic Corporate.