Apple to acquire Pixelmator, creator of iPhone and Mac image editing apps

Apple recognized Pixelmator Pro as the 2018 “Mac App of the Year” for its AI-powered features

Apple has announced it will acquire Pixelmator, the Lithuanian firm behind popular image editing apps for iPhone and Mac, as confirmed by Pixelmator in a blog post on Friday. Founded in 2007, Pixelmator has gained traction with its flagship apps, Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro, which are seen as strong rivals to Adobe Photoshop. The company also offers Photomator, a photo editing tool.

Apple has frequently featured Pixelmator’s apps at its high-profile events, showcasing their integration of Apple’s machine learning and AI capabilities. In 2018, Apple named Pixelmator Pro as its “Mac App of the Year,” highlighting the app’s use of AI for tasks such as removing unwanted objects and enhancing photo colours. Pixelmator shared its excitement about the acquisition, stating, “We’ve been inspired by Apple since day one, crafting our products with the same razor-sharp focus on design, ease of use, and performance.”

While Apple’s acquisition strategy typically favours smaller firms with technology or talent that aligns with its own developments, no financial details of the Pixelmator deal have been disclosed. Pixelmator assured users there would be “no material changes to the Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator apps at this time.”

This acquisition follows Apple’s ongoing focus on AI-based photo tools. Earlier this week, the company launched Apple Intelligence, a suite that includes “Clean Up,” an AI feature for removing people or objects from images. Other notable Apple acquisitions include Dark Sky, which became Apple’s weather app, and Workflow, which evolved into the iPhone’s Shortcuts app, paving the way for enhancements to Siri.