Pixelmator was announced Friday to be acquired by Apple. The image editing platform didn't discuss what life would be like under the corporate umbrella, but said there are “no material changes” to the Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator apps, at least for now. .
If Apple's acquisition history is any indication, that level of autonomy could soon change once Pixelmator functionality is integrated directly into the Photos app. Pixelmator is currently available on iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and visionOS, but not in the Android ecosystem. I didn't expect this last part to change so soon.
This image editing startup has been around since 2007, when it was founded in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
“[L]Looking back, it is incredible what a small group of dedicated people was able to accomplish over the years, all the way from Vilnius, Lithuania,” the company said in a statement. “Now we will be able to reach an even wider audience and have an even greater impact on the lives of creative people around the world.”
The partnership, which still requires regulatory approval, comes as Apple has become more aggressive about integrating AI into its imaging apps. The company recently rolled out a cleanup as part of an iOS update. This ability to remove elements from photos was seen as Apple's answer to Google's Magic Eraser.
Apple declined to comment on this news.