This is also about expanding the prominence of the company itself. Where FileMaker has usually been content to sit in Apple's shadow, Claris wants to triple the number of developers and aggressively promote its name. Freitag also raised the possibility of Claris-branded solutions for the Internet of Things and, eventually, augmented reality.

That may be more realistic than you think. FileMaker has been profitable for the past 20 years, for a start. While it has the advantage of a giant parent company, it doesn't need to lean on that company quite so much for support. The FileMaker app also has majority share outside of the US. It might already be in a prime position to grow, even if it's unlikely to eclipse its owner any time soon.