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

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....

Top Rated Comments

PsykX Avatar
21 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
21 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)
21 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
21 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
21 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
21 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)