Apple frequently acquires smaller technology companies but generally keeps their intentions private. In line with this trend, Apple has signed an agreement to acquire Pixelmator, the company behind popular image editing apps for iOS and macOS. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval, but Apple is unlikely to face any obstacles given the relatively small scale of the deal.
Founded in 2007 by brothers Saulius Dailide and Aidas Dailide, Pixelmator has garnered numerous accolades for its apps, including three Mac App of the Year awards, an iPad App of the Year award, and two Apple Design Awards. Pixelmator for iPad was even featured at an Apple Special Event in October 2014.
The Pixelmator team has stated that there will be no immediate changes to Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, or Photomator. However, major changes are anticipated once the acquisition is finalized. Based on Apple's history with similar acquisitions, it's likely that these apps will be discontinued, eventually replaced by new apps released under Apple's own brand or features similar to Pixelmator being directly built into Photos or other existing Apple apps.
In a blog post announcing the acquisition, the Pixelmator team shared the following:
Today we have some important news to share: the Pixelmator Team plans to join Apple. 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. And looking back, it’s crazy what a small group of dedicated people have been able to achieve over the years from all the way in Vilnius, Lithuania. Now, we’ll have the ability to reach an even wider audience and make an even bigger impact on the lives of creative people around the world.
While the future of Pixelmator's apps remains uncertain, users can anticipate exciting developments in Apple's image editing software. It will be interesting to see how this acquisition shapes the landscape of image editing on Apple devices.
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