Apple to Acquire Pixelmator, the AI-Powered Image Editing App for iPhone
“Since the beginning, Apple has been a source of inspiration, pushing us to create products that match its standards for design, simplicity, and performance,” Pixelmator shared in the blog post.
Apple announced its acquisition of Pixelmator, the image editing app developer for iPhone and Mac, through a blog post from Pixelmator on Friday.
Founded in 2007 in Lithuania, Pixelmator has become well-known for its flagship apps, Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro, which compete with Adobe Photoshop. Pixelmator also developed Photomator, an app specializing in photo editing.
Over the years, Apple has spotlighted Pixelmator’s apps during major product events. In 2018, Apple named Pixelmator Pro the Mac App of the Year, recognizing the company’s focus on machine learning and AI-driven features, like removing objects from photos and automatic color adjustments.
“Since the beginning, Apple has been a source of inspiration, pushing us to create products that match its standards for design, simplicity, and performance,” Pixelmator shared in the blog post.
Unlike its Silicon Valley counterparts, Apple tends to make smaller acquisitions that help it develop its own features. The purchase price for Pixelmator was not disclosed by either company.
Pixelmator reassured users that, for now, there will be “no material changes” to its apps—Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator.
Earlier this week, Apple launched Apple Intelligence, a feature suite that includes photo editing tools like Clean Up, which uses AI to remove people or objects from images.
Apple has previously acquired other popular apps recognized at its events. In 2020, Apple acquired Dark Sky, which is now integrated into Apple’s Weather app. In 2017, it acquired Workflow, an automation app that evolved into Shortcuts on iPhone and laid the groundwork for a more robust Siri assistant.
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