RealNetworks
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Headquarters at Home Plate Center in Seattle
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| Public | |
| Traded as | NASDAQ: RNWK |
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | 1994 (as Progressive Networks) |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, United States |
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Key people
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Rob Glaser (Chairman and CEO) |
| Products |
RealAudio RealDownloader RealDVD RealPlayer RealPlayer Converter Real SuperPass RealPlayer Trimmer RealTime RealVideo GameHouse Helix Rinse Unifi |
| Revenue |
 US$156.2 Million (2014) |
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US$7.18 Million (2014) |
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Number of employees
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1,060 (2012) |
| Website | www |
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet streaming media delivery software and services based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The company also provides subscription-based online entertainment services and mobile entertainment and messaging services.
RealNetworks (then known as Progressive Networks) was founded in 1994 by an ex-Microsoft executive, Rob Glaser and a management team including Phil Barrett, Andy Sharpless, and Stephen Buerkle. The original goal of the company was to provide a distribution channel for politically progressive content. It evolved into a technology venture to leverage the Internet as an alternative distribution medium for audio broadcasts. Progressive Networks became RealNetworks in September 1997.
RealNetworks are pioneers in the streaming media markets and broadcast one of the earlier audio events over the Internet — a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners — on September 5, 1995. They announced streaming video technology in 1997. According to some accounts, by 2000, more than 85% of streaming content on the Internet was in the Real format.
Despite this success, problems arose because Real's primary business model depended upon the sale of streaming media server software, and Microsoft and Apple were giving those products away. As servers from Microsoft and Apple became more capable, Real's server sales inevitably eroded.
On January 20, 2000, RealNetworks, Inc. filed an injunction against Streambox, Inc. regarding the aforementioned company's product designed to convert Real Audio (.rm) formatted files to other formats. On December 4, 2001, the company was to launch the first coordinated effort to sell and deliver music from major record labels over the Internet, part of a broader initiative by the company to develop subscription Internet services aimed at Web users with fast Internet connections. In 2002, a strategic alliance was formed between RealNetworks and Sony Corporation to expand collaboration. In October, 2005, Microsoft agreed to pay RealNetworks $460 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit.
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Wikipedia