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Expression Media is a leading digital asset management application used to catalog and organize photos, video and music for effortless retrieval, presentation and sharing. Expression Media will join Phase One’s product lineup, which includes open-platform-based, medium-format camera systems able to render up to 60.5 megapixel resolution, and Capture One raw-conversion and image-editing software, which supports more than 170 different file formats and provides superior image quality with excellent color and detail. Phase One products are used by some of the world’s leading photographers.
“We’re excited about taking ownership of Expression Media,” said Henrik O. Håkonsson, president and CEO, Phase One. “We have worked with Microsoft for several years, during which many of our customers have chosen Expression Media for their digital asset management needs. We are now planning product developments to help meet the growing needs of current and future customers. As an immediate benefit to existing Expression Media customers who may not yet have tried it, we are offering a free copy of Capture One to help enhance their photographic workflow.”
Expression Media is one of a handful of products in the Microsoft Expression family. Microsoft has no plans to sell any of the other Expression tools, a company spokesperson said on May 25. The other Expression tools — Web, Blend, SketchFlow, Design, Encoder and the Studio bundle — are aimed at Web designers.
Under the terms of the agreement, Phase One takes full ownership of the Expression Media product. To ensure a smooth transition for Expression Media customers, Microsoft will continue to provide support to retail customers for 90 days. Phase One will begin offering support for the Expression Media product after the 90-day transition period. Microsoft customers who are currently using Expression Media under an Enterprise Agreement will continue to receive support from Microsoft through the term of their agreements. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“Microsoft’s sale of Expression Media to Phase One, within the context of the companies’ relationship, is good news for the future of the product and for its customers,” said IDC analyst Ron Glaz. “Phase One’s focus and expertise in the digital photography market make it well suited to drive product developments that will best serve the growing needs of imaging professionals.”
“Phase One is a respected and deeply committed leader in the digital photography market. With its strong experience in digital imaging software solutions, we’re thrilled that it will drive this technology forward,” said Josh Weisberg, director of Strategy and Business Development at Microsoft. “Through this agreement, we’ve made every effort to ensure that the integrity of the Expression Media technology remains intact and that our customers experience a seamless transition.”
