3 weeks ago
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Pixelmator Friday announced that it is being acquired by Apple. The image editing platform didn’t discuss what life might look like under the corporate umbrella, but did note that would be “no material changes” to its Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator apps – at least for now.
If Apple’s acquisition history is any indication, that level of autonomy could change soon as Pixelmator’s features are integrated directly into the Photos app. Pixelmator is currently available for iOS, MacOS, iPadOS , and VisionOS, but not the Android ecosystem. I wouldn’t expect that last bit to change any time soon.
The image editing startup has been around since 2007, when it was founded in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius.
“[L]ooking back, it’s crazy what a small group of dedicated people have been able to achieve over the years from all the way in Vilnius, Lithuania,” the company notes in a post. “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.”
The deal, which is still subject to regulatory approval, comes as Apple has grown more aggressive about integrating AI into its imaging apps. The company recently rolled out Clean Up as part of an iOS update. That feature, which removes elements from photos, was regarded as Apple’s answer to Google’s Magic Eraser.
Apple declined to comment on the news.
Brian Heater is the Hardware Editor at TechCrunch. He worked for a number of leading tech publications, including Engadget, PCMag, Laptop, and Tech Times, where he served as the Managing Editor. His writing has appeared in Spin, Wired, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The Onion, Boing Boing, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Beast and various other publications. He hosts the weekly Boing Boing interview podcast RiYL, has appeared as a regular NPR contributor and shares his Queens apartment with a rabbit named Juniper.
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