Apple Completes Pixelmator Acquisition - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Completes Pixelmator Acquisition

Pixelmator last year announced that it was being acquired by Apple, and today the company confirmed that the acquisition has been completed after Apple received regulatory approval. The Pixelmator for iOS, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator apps were today updated with a new splash screen announcing the deal.

pixelmator pro apple acquisition complete
Pixelmator is a well-known image and photo editing app that competes with Photoshop and other Adobe image editing tools, while focusing on ease of use and performance. The apps are exclusive to Apple's platforms.

No changes to the Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, or Photomator apps have been made at this time. Apple could eventually integrate these apps into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, but for now they remain separate and available from the App Store.

Apple has photo editing tools available in the Photos app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but the company used to maintain a separate photo editing app called Aperture. Aperture was discontinued in 2015, and the app was removed from the Mac App Store at that time.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

Top Rated Comments

PsykX Avatar
19 months ago
Pixelmator and Photomator are jewels.

I hope they continue to innovate, and don't get stuck by the big boat Apple has become.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JMStearnsX2 Avatar
19 months ago
I'm still a bit bitter at Apple for shutting down Aperture, I REALLY hope that they don't screw this up. Not that I have a lot of faith in Apple not messing this up, they will probably just close it down...
I use Pixelmator Pro on my Mac often over the last 14 years, I'm also a big fan of it.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
19 months ago
Maybe Apple could use some of the AI tools used in pixelmator for their own photo’s app. That would fill the gap with competitors.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rlewisphilly Avatar
19 months ago

Pixelmator and Photomator are jewels.

I hope they continue to innovate, and don't get stuck by the big boat Apple has become.
I've been using Pixelmator Pro for a few years....prob one of my mist used apps. fingers crossed to see some of its greatness in other Apple products, and this one stay a standalone.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
19 months ago
Well, in (future) retrospect, I expect we'll think that this acquisition sucked (from a consumer point of view).
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PsykX Avatar
19 months ago

Maybe Apple could use some of the AI tools used in pixelmator for their own photo’s app. That would fill the gap with competitors.
I think this may be part of the plan.

Because there's plenty of AI in Pixelmator.
And the new cleanup tool in iOS 18 ? It's at least 25X slower than Pixelmator's counterpart, and it produces worse results, at least based on my own experience.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors