Claris, the makers of FileMaker Pro, have clarified their relationship to Apple.
FileMaker has been around for more than forty years. It was owned by a few different companies during its early years. One of those companies was Claris, which then changed their name to FileMaker, and a few years ago, they changed it back to Claris again. But what many people do not know is that Claris is actually owned by Apple!
For a number of years, they didn’t advertise the fact. Then a few years ago they started announcing their relationship to Apple, as a subsidiary. But now they have clarified that relationship again. The term they are using, I think is simple and clear. They are simply saying “Claris, an Apple Company”. That says it well.
What needs to be understood however, is that FileMaker Pro, is very much a cross-platform software application. Announcing that they are “an Apple company” in no way implies that it only runs on Macs. From way back in the beginning, FileMaker Pro has always been able to be used on Windows, as well as Macs. And these days it has also expanded to iPhone, iPad, and web browsers, which makes it available also on Android devices.
FileMaker Pro has always been really versatile software which can be shaped and formed into almost any kind of an application a business may need. And the fact that it is “an Apple company”, I believe, increases its “shine” and makes it a more appealing product. It is my hope that many other businesses, who are looking for automation solutions will find it from FileMaker, made by Claris, an Apple company!