Apple Acquires Pixelmator for Image Editing

On 01/11/2024, the Pixelmator Team announced it had signed an agreement to be acquired by Apple, with the transaction subject to regulatory approval. The announcement was published on Pixelmator’s official blog, confirming that there would be no immediate material changes to Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator at the time of the agreement. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The Lithuania based company, known for its professional image editing tools across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, stated that further updates would follow after completion of the acquisition process. Pixelmator had developed a reputation as a professional image editing alternative within Apple’s ecosystem, offering layered editing, non destructive workflows, and AI powered tools. The agreement indicated that the Pixelmator team would join Apple, adding a dedicated professional imaging application to Apple’s creative software lineup. At the time of the announcement, the companies emphasized continuity, noting that the apps would remain available without immediate functional changes while regulatory review proceeded. The acquisition drew attention because it marked Apple’s move back into professional image editing software after discontinuing Aperture in 2015. Aperture had served as Apple’s professional photography and image management application before being replaced by the Photos app. Pixelmator’s tools, often compared with Adobe Photoshop alternatives, positioned Apple once again with a standalone professional grade image editing solution alongside its existing creative applications such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Regulatory approval was later granted, and Pixelmator confirmed in February 2025 that it had officially become part of Apple following completion of the acquisition. Updates to Pixelmator Pro and Photomator at that time included confirmation messages stating the apps were now part of Apple, concluding the process that began with the November 2024 agreement.