In addition to office and productivity applications, professional video editing and music creation, it looks like Apple will expand this portfolio with a photo and graphics editing application much loved by Mac users. Recently, Apple recently announced the acquisition of Pixelmator, the company famous for its photo and graphics editing applications.
The applications produced by Pixelmator are used by millions of users on Apple devices, especially Pixelmator Pro for Mac, a graphics editing application that is a robust alternative to Adobe Photoshop and even Adobe Illustrator.
This strategic move could represent an important step in strengthening Apple's application portfolio, offering a full suite of tools for creators, from photo and graphics editing to video, music and Office.
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How could the Pixelmator acquisition solve Apple's lack of a dedicated graphics editing app?
Although the iPad and Mac have external applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo, Apple does not have dedicated photo and graphics editing software in its own portfolio. Pixelmator, known for its design inspired by the Apple aesthetic and its performance on Mac and iPad, could be the perfect basis for developing such an app of your own.
Pixelmator Pro, one of the most popular Pixelmator apps, is already known for its intuitive interface and advanced capabilities, from basic editing to complex photo manipulation. In addition, its payment model is appreciated by users who prefer to purchase an application once, instead of paying a monthly or yearly subscription, as is the case with Adobe Photoshop.
By acquiring Pixelmator, Apple could create an improved version of this app, or even an entirely new app available exclusively for its devices, offering a similar photo editing experience to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro.
Pixelmator's performance and potential in the Apple ecosystem
Pixelmator Pro is already optimized for Apple Silicon (M1 and newer generations) and uses the machine learning technology built into Apple's chips, making it a very good choice for a native Apple editing software. If Apple were to release an expanded version of Pixelmator for iPad and Mac, it could introduce new exclusive features, including deep integration with Apple Pencil on iPad, which would make photo editing more intuitive and precise. So with the acquisition of Pixelmator, iPad devices could reach a potential similar to Mac computers for professional graphic creation.
Also, with the experience of the Pixelmator team, Apple could optimize this app to work seamlessly in tandem with other apps in the ecosystem. For example, it could allow users to quickly edit graphics in a document created in Pages or more easily integrate visuals created in Pixelmator directly into a video project in Final Cut Pro.
See: A new home for Pixelmator
How much will Apple's new graphics editing app cost?
One concern for users is the possibility that Apple will turn Pixelmator into a subscription-based app, similar to what it did with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro on the iPad. While subscriptions are advantageous for Apple, they are not always as popular with users, many of whom prefer a one-time purchase to avoid recurring costs. I, myself, prefer to buy the app once rather than have a monthly subscription, even though that would incur additional costs if a major upgrade comes along.
A possible transition of Pixelmator to a subscription model could disappoint some of the app's fans, who appreciate the current payment model. However, if Apple decides to keep the one-time purchase option or offer flexible plans, it could meet the needs of both existing and new users.
Related: How to download applications from the App Store to External Disc (Macos 15.1)
In conclusion, Apple's acquisition of Pixelmator is a strategic step that could complement the company's portfolio of visual creation applications, providing users with an intuitive and powerful tool for photo and graphics editing. The release of such an official Apple app to rival Photoshop and Affinity Photo would provide a major competitive advantage in attracting digital graphics creators to the Apple ecosystem.
