Apple Acquisition Of Pixelmator: Bright Future Or Threat To Popular Image Editing App?

Apple has acquired Pixelmator, an image editing software developer (photo: x @sabatage).

JAKARTA - Apple has shocked the world of technology by acquiring Pixelmator, a well-known software developer that offers popular image editing applications such as Pixelmator, Photomator, and Pixelmator Pro. This announcement, which is still awaiting approval from regulators, raises a lot of speculation among users and loyal fans of Pixelmator software.

Pixelmator is known as a tough and low-cost image editing app, often considered the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Over the course of 17 years, Pixelmator has grown into a strong and preferred application because of its speed and routine updates made by the development team. Many users choose Pixelmator Pro not only because of its affordable price, but also because of its features that are equivalent to world-class applications.

With this acquisition, Pixelmator users hope that Apple will help the app reach more users and gain access to more development resources. Many are optimistic that this move will allow Pixelmator Pro to be present on the iPad, a move that users have been dreaming of. Although there is an iPad version of the standard Pixelmator, the presence of Pixelmator Pro on iPadOS will certainly be good news for creators who use tablets as their primary device.

However, Apple's previous acquisition left concerns for users. An example is the Dark Sky app, which was initially very popular among Android and iOS users as an accurate weather forecasting app.

After being acquired by Apple in 2020, Dark Sky was removed from Android, and two years later Apple fully integrated its features into the Weather app on iOS. A similar incident experienced by Workflow, the automation app Apple purchased in 2018 and then re-launched as Shortcuts with deeper access to the iOS and macOS operating systems, making it even more beneficial for users.

Pros and Cons

Pixelmator is now facing a similar fate. On the one hand, there is a high probability that this application will be maintained with a sustainable update, possibly even integrated more deeply into Apple's ecosystem. On the other hand, Apple may combine Pixelmator features into a series of productivity apps, such as Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, thus potentially removing the Pixelmator brand that has been known for 17 years.

This acquisition move also reflects Apple's efforts to remain relevant in the creative software market, especially amid some users' dissatisfaction with Adobe continuing to raise subscription fees and tighten licensing access. By acquiring the Pixelmator, Apple has the opportunity to maintain this market share and offer strong alternatives to creative users.

Pixelmator itself has ensured that there will be no major "current" changes, but the use of these words hints at possible changes in the future. Users can only hope that the positive experiences they have enjoyed for a long time with the Pixelmator will continue and even increase under Apple's control.

It is hoped that Apple will not only maintain the Pixelmator as an independent application but also provide full resources and support for its development, including the possibility of bringing the Pixelmator Pro to the iPad.

Will this be the right step for Apple to strengthen its position in the creative software market or is it a threat to the existence of this decades-old app? Only time will show what the Pixelmator will be like in Apple's hands.

One thing is for sure, this acquisition opens up a new chapter for the Pixelmator, and users hope this is a brighter chapter.