if(we) is a social and mobile technology company based in San Francisco, California and owned by The Meet Group.[2] It was originally known as Tagged Inc. and owns and operates social networks Tagged.com and Hi5.com and animated iOS messaging app Nod.[3][4]
_(logo).png) | |
| Available in | English |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Meet Group |
| CEO | Dash Gopinath [1] |
| Employees | 150 (October 2011) |
| URL | www |
| Launched | October 2004 |
The company operates as an incubator of new social technology and apps seeking to find the next big thing.[5] The firm has been ranked the #3 Best Place to Work in the Bay Area for medium size companies[6] and has 140 employees.[7]
History
editThe company was created when it acquired Tinode and announced that it would begin working on additional social products besides Tagged and Hi5.[8] It also announced that it would drop plans of pursuing an IPO and concentrate on new social opportunities. If(we) is planning to release a messaging app as its first new product.[9][10] The company had $57 million in revenue in 2013 and has been profitable since 2008.[5] In March 2017 the company was acquired by MeetMe.[11]
Online Brands
editNod
editThe company released Nod in the app store in July 2015. Nod is a messaging app that features customizable avatars and emoji animations. Apple selected Nod as a best new app.[12]
Digsby
editDigsby is a real-time communications download that connects multiple Instant Messaging services such as AIM, MSN, ICQ and Facebook in one application.[13] It was founded at The Rochester Institute of Technology and was bought in April 2011 as the first acquisition by the company.[14] Digsby was subsequently open sourced by if(we) in 2012.[15]
hi5
editOnce one of the top 3 social networks,[16] the company acquired hi5 in December 2011 and merged it into the features on Tagged while operating it as a separate site and brand.[17]
Sidewalk
editSidewalk is a stand-alone app for local neighborhood discovery. It is available only in San Francisco.[18]
Swoon
editSwoon is an Android dating app similar to Tinder application where people swipe through photographs and indicate their interest in meeting similar to the site Hot or Not. When two people both express mutual interest a match is made and people are invited to online chat with each other.[19]
Tagged
editTagged is a social discovery service available on the web and mobile apps designed for meeting new people and dating. It was originally a social network but pivoted to be a site to meet new people in 2007. It also offers social games as part of its features. It became profitable in 2008 and had $43 million in revenue in 2011.[20]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Executive Profile". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg.
- ^ Josh Constine (6 March 2017). "Old-school social networks Tagged and Hi5 bought by MeetMe for $60M". Techcrunch.
- ^ MacMillan, Douglas. "Wall Street Journal". Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ Beth Wischnia (17 July 2015). "This Is the Best Emoji App Yet". Brit + Co.
- ^ a b Hogue, Patrick. "San Francisco Business Times". SF Business Times. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
- ^ Best Places to Work James Dunn (18 April 2014). "Best Places to Work 2014". San Francisco Business Times.
- ^ Patrick Hoge (16 October 2014). "Dipping revenue leads Tagged to abort IPO plans, aim to develop new apps". San Francisco Business Times.
- ^ Buhr, Sarah. "TechCrunch". Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ "Milk 2.0? Kevin Rose raises $5M for his app lab North Technologies, steps away from Google Ventures - VentureBeat - Deals - by Kia Kokalitcheva". VentureBeat. 14 January 2015.
- ^ Buhr, Sarah October 17, 2014 Social Networking Watch "Tagged Ditches IPO Plans"
- ^ "MeetMe acquired Tagged and hi5's parent company for $60 million". 7 March 2017.
- ^ "Nod Looks to Add Emotion to Messaging With Animated Avatars".
- ^ "Facebook Chat Escapes the Walled Garden". TechChrunch.
- ^ "Why Tagged snapped up social networking application Digsby". VentureBeat. 20 April 2011.
- ^ "It's Official: Digsby, Owned By Social Network Tagged, Is Now Open Source And Living On GitHub". TechCrunch.
- ^ Shayndi Raice (14 December 2011). "Tagged Acquires Facebook Competitor Hi5". WSJ.
- ^ "Report: Tagged Acquires Hi5".
- ^ Constine, Josh. "Josh Constine". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "With New Social App Swoon, People Discovery Is a Thumb-Flick Away". AllThingsD.
- ^ "Social Network Tagged Raises $15M; Revenue Grew 35 Percent To $43M In 2011". TechCrunch. AOL. 22 August 2012.