Apple acquires image editing app Pixelmator

Apple acquires Pixelmator: Apple has agreed to acquire Pixelmator, the Lithuania company that offers popular image editing apps, Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro. The development was announced by Pixelmator in an official blog post wherein the company wrote that the acquisition will enable it to reach out to a wider audience. "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," Pixelmator wrote in its blog post.

Neither Apple nor Pixelmator has announced the details of the deal. However, Pixelmators has shared that it has signed the agreement to be acquired by Apple, which is subject to regulatory approval. The company also shared that 'there will be no material changes' to the apps that it offers until the time it gets regulatory approval by the relevant authorities.

For the unversed, Pixelmator is an app maker based out of Vilnius in Lithuania. It is best know for its Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro apps that compete with Adobe's Photoshop. Unlike Adobe Photoshop, which offers a monthly charging plan to the users, Pixelmator charges a one-time-fee from the users. In India, Pixelmator charges Rs 999, while the Photoshop's individual monthly plan costs Rs 733.96. In addition to Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro, the company also offers the Photomator app.

Apple, on the other hand, does not acquire companies that often, which is unlike other tech companies in the Silicon Valley. That said, it has acquired some noteworthy companies in the past, which it has used to develop its own first-party apps. For instance, Apple acquired Dark Sky in 2020. The app was eventually integrated in the company's own weather app. Similarly, it acquired Workflow in 2017. Eventually Workflow became Shortcuts and its scripting app. It is possible that the company uses Pixelmator to develop its own first-party product in the future.