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Apple has acquired Pixelmator, the creator of some of the most important image editing tools for the Mac and iPad.
In a blog post confirming the deal, the Pixelmator Team didn’t share many details. However, it said that Apple’s purchase would help it get in touch with an “even wider audience” of creatives.
The company promised that there would be “no material changes” to Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator “at this time” as a result of the Apple deal. Apple has separately confirmed the acquisition.
Pixelmator is best-known for its namesake image creation and editing tool. It has often been the main alternative to Photoshop for creators who can’t justify Adobe’s subscription pricing — a one-time $50 purchase can get you enough tools to produce quality artwork or edit photos.
The company has also ventured into areas where Adobe has yet to explore, such as offering a photo editor to Vision Pro users through Photomator.
What does Apple Buying Pixelmator Mean for Creators?
In the near term, not much should change. You can continue to use Pixelmator’s apps much as you would before.
However, it’s unclear what Apple will do with Pixelmator in the long term. There are a few options, some of which could significantly affect users as well as Apple’s relationship with Adobe.
On a basic level, Apple could simply rebrand the software and focus on integrating the suite tightly with its ecosystem. This could be helpful for existing users, not to mention introduce Pixelmator to people who otherwise wouldn’t try it. That, in turn, might help sell the iPad Pro and touchscreen MacBooks rumored to launch in the years ahead.
The tech giant could alternately fold Pixelmator’s technology into either a new app or its existing creative tools, such as Final Cut Pro, Freeform, and Photos. It wouldn’t necessarily get rid of Pixelmator, but there could be a priority shift where Apple focuses on upgrading its own software.
Apple’s approach to acquisitions like these has varied. When it bought Emagic in 2002, for instance, it kept Logic intact and concentrated on expanding the music editing tool. When Apple bought weather app maker Dark Sky in 2020, however, it dropped Android support and gradually wound down the stand-alone software while integrating features into the core weather apps across its platforms.
Whichever route Apple chooses, it could alter the company’s involvement with Adobe. While the two have been competing against each other in audio and video editing apps for years (and briefly photo editing through Aperture), art creation has largely remained Adobe’s domain. The Pixelmator deal could change that — Adobe might have few areas where Apple isn’t a direct challenger.
