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2012: The Launch of Native Clients

· 3 min read
Nima Golsharifi
OrbVPN CEO & Founder

2012 marked a transformative year for OrbVPN with the launch of our native clients. After years of using configuration tools and manual setups, we took the bold step of developing our own applications for multiple platforms. This decision came from our core belief: security tools must be accessible to be effective.

Native Client Launch​

The launch of our Windows client was a major milestone. We focused on creating an interface that balanced simplicity with powerful security features. This wasn't just about making things easier – it was about making security accessible to everyone, from journalists to everyday users concerned about their privacy.

Expanding Platforms​

Following the success of our Windows client, we expanded to:

  • MacOS native application
  • Initial iOS development
  • Android app planning
  • Support for multiple protocols

Infrastructure Evolution​

Our infrastructure saw significant improvements:

  • Expanded to new datacenter locations
  • Implemented advanced load balancing
  • Enhanced redundancy systems
  • Improved network stability

Protocol Support​

We broadened our protocol support to include:

  • OpenConnect (SSL Protocol)
  • OpenVPN with custom configurations
  • L2TP/IPSec
  • PPTP (for legacy support)
  • SSTP

Security Advancements​

The native clients allowed us to implement stronger security features:

  • Advanced kill switch
  • DNS leak prevention
  • Custom encryption configurations
  • Automatic protocol selection

Maintaining Our Principles​

Despite rapid growth, we maintained our invitation-based system. The events of 2011 taught us the value of trusted networks, and we weren't willing to compromise security for rapid expansion.

Team Growth​

Our development team grew to handle the increased complexity of maintaining native clients. Each new team member brought valuable expertise while embracing our core mission of protecting privacy and enabling free communication.

Looking Forward​

Our plans for 2013 include:

  • Mobile client development
  • Enhanced protocol implementations
  • Expanded server network
  • Improved user interface

A Personal Note​

We consider that tools for freedom should be accessible to everyone, not just technical experts. This year's development of native clients embodied that principle. We're making privacy protection more accessible while maintaining the high security standards that our users, especially journalists and activists, depend on.

The positive feedback from users transitioning to our native clients has been encouraging. Many have told us how the simplified interface has made secure communication more practical in their daily work. This is exactly what we aimed for – making privacy protection more accessible without compromising security.

To our development team who worked tirelessly on the native clients: thank you. To our users who provided valuable feedback during the beta testing: your input helped shape these applications. And to those who continue to trust us with their security: we remain committed to protecting your right to communicate freely and safely.

Nima Golsharifi
Founder, OrbVPN