Switzerland-based software company ProtonMail announced on Wednesday that it is officially rebranding to “Proton” and will unify its services under one ecosystem. Proton will now offer its flagship ProtonMail service, as well as Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, and Proton VPN as a single product.
Since its launch in 2014, Proton has provided users with privacy-focused services. The company now aims to offer its customers a comprehensive privacy-by-default ecosystem.
As part of this move, Proton has released new versions of its web, mobile, and desktop applications. The new applications will be linked to customers’ Proton accounts. Users will be able to access all Proton’s services through a single Proton account.
“Privacy-by-Default” Ecosystem
Privacy has always been at the forefront of Proton’s mission. Its most popular offering to date is its end-to-end encrypted email service, ProtonMail. End-to-end encryption prevents third parties, including Proton, from accessing users’ messages.
The company has since launched other privacy-first services, including its very own VPN, Calendar, and Drive (encrypted cloud storage). Proton’s decision to rebrand and bundle its services into a single product means the company will create “the world’s first privacy-by-default ecosystem.”
Previously, customers could sign up for each of these services individually. This meant that each service required a separate account and was accessible via different URLs. Now, you can create a single Proton account, and access all its services. The company said these changes will significantly improve user experience.
Proton is also rebranding its services with new logos to signify the move to a unified family. Users can now sign up for Proton via the company’s new website, proton.me.
“We have taken a big step forward in redefining our visual identity and user experience,” Varun Kabra, Proton’s CMO, said.
“By unifying Proton’s products, both technically and aesthetically, we are making privacy more accessible and enjoyable than ever before for everyone,” Kabra added.
A Privacy-First Alternative to Big Tech’s Offerings
Proton’s move to offer a comprehensive privacy-by-default ecosystem, which is easy to navigate, is a historic moment in the company’s journey, making it a “compelling alternative” to Google’s productivity suite.
Andy Yen, the company’s founder and CEO, highlighted the need for a privacy-first alternative to the current options available to users.
“For many years, the internet has been dominated by ad-based business models which abuse privacy and leverage our most intimate data for financial gain,” Yen said.
“Proton’s mission is to provide an alternative and help build a just internet economy that works for users and all of society. The transformation from individual privacy services towards an integrated privacy ecosystem is an essential step toward building a complete replacement to Big Tech’s offerings,” he added.
About Proton
Proton is a Swiss technology company founded by scientists who met at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in 2014. All Proton’s products are open source. The company is run by a team of 400 people and supported by an active community of people in over 180 countries. Nearly 70 million users have signed up for Proton’s services over the past eight years.
