Pixelmator is Dead; Long Live Pixelmator: The Future Under Apple's Wing

Apple's acquisition of Pixelmator, announced in November 2024, marks a significant move in the realm of professional and consumer photo editing software.

Now what?

The #Pixelmator suite has been a favourite among photographers and designers for its powerful yet user-friendly features. The acquisition encompasses these apps, and according to Pixelmator's official statement, there will be

"no material changes"

to these applications at this time, indicating that users can expect the apps to continue operating as they currently do, at least in the immediate future.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval, which is standard procedure for such transactions. The statement from Pixelmator reflects a sense of continuity for current users, assuring them that the apps' functionalities, pricing models, and availability on platforms like macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS will remain unchanged for the moment. However, the long-term effects of this acquisition are subject to speculation and Apple's strategic plans.

Immediate reactions within the tech and creative community has been speculation about how Apple might integrate or evolve Pixelmator's offerings. Posts on X and various tech analyses suggest that Apple could potentially use Pixelmator's technology to enhance its existing Photos app or even introduce a new "Photos Pro" application as an alternative to #Photoshop. Mark Gurman, a respected Apple commentator, has suggested that Pixelmator might be rebranded as "Photos Pro," potentially shifting from a one-time purchase model to a subscription-based one, aligning with Apple's other pro-level creative software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. This move would be consistent with Apple's recent push towards subscription services to boost revenue, though it would also mean a significant change for Pixelmator's user base, which has enjoyed the app's one-time payment structure.

Apple's history with app acquisitions provides some insight into potential outcomes. Some acquisitions saw their standalone apps discontinued in favour of integrating their features into Apple's ecosystem. While others have remained as independent products, often benefiting from increased development resources post-acquisition. This dichotomy suggests that Pixelmator could either continue as a standalone product or see its features absorbed into Apple's broader software offerings.

From a development perspective, the Pixelmator team joining Apple could lead to exciting updates, leveraging Apple's vast resources to perhaps finally bring a Pixelmator Pro version to iPadOS, something users have long anticipated. The company's blog post highlighted their inspiration from Apple since day one, indicating a cultural fit which could lead to a seamless integration into Apple's operations.

However, there's a cautious optimism among the Pixelmator user community. While some look forward to potential improvements and broader reach, others are wary of possible changes to the app's pricing or philosophy, which has historically been about providing powerful tools without the complexity or cost associated with competitors like Adobe #Photoshop.

While the immediate impact of Apple's acquisition of Pixelmator seems to be minimal, with no immediate changes to the apps, the long-term vision for Pixelmator within Apple's ecosystem remains to be seen. This could range from enhanced features in Apple's native apps to a new professional-grade photo editing suite, but for now, users can continue to use #Pixelmator's offerings as they have been accustomed to.