Apple buying Pixelmator could finally fix one of my biggest iPad complaints – StartupNews.fyi

Apple has reportedly been in talks to acquire Pixelmator, the popular image editing app for the iPad. This move could finally address one of the biggest complaints I have with the iPad – its lack of professional-grade photo editing tools.

Pixelmator is a well-regarded image editing app that offers a surprisingly robust feature set for an iPad app. It features a wide array of tools, including layers, masks, adjustment layers, and filters, making it capable of handling tasks that were previously only possible on a desktop computer. It also has a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate, even for beginners.

However, despite Pixelmator’s strengths, it has always felt like an odd man out in the iPad’s ecosystem. Apple’s own photo editing app, Photos, is quite basic and lacks many of the features that make Pixelmator so powerful. This has led to a situation where many iPad users who need professional-grade photo editing tools have to rely on third-party apps, such as Pixelmator, Affinity Photo, or Adobe Photoshop.

Apple’s acquisition of Pixelmator could change that. It could be the start of a larger effort by Apple to bring professional-grade photo editing capabilities to the iPad, a market segment that Adobe Photoshop is currently dominating. Here’s why:

**Pixelmator is a well-established brand:** The app already has a loyal user base and a good reputation. Integrating it into the iPad’s ecosystem would immediately make the device more appealing to photo editors and creatives.

**Apple could use Pixelmator’s technology to improve Photos:** By incorporating Pixelmator’s features and technology, Apple could significantly enhance the capabilities of Photos, making it a truly professional-grade image editing app. This would reduce the need for users to rely on third-party apps and potentially decrease dependence on Adobe Photoshop.

**Pixelmator could be the starting point for a larger ecosystem:** This acquisition could lead to a broader push by Apple to bring other professional creative tools to the iPad. Imagine a suite of Apple-branded apps, powered by Pixelmator’s technology, offering everything from photo and video editing to design and graphic creation.

This could finally make the iPad a viable alternative for professional creative workflows, attracting professionals who have traditionally relied on desktops. Apple’s efforts to make the iPad a more powerful and capable device for creators is evident, and this move could be the key to finally making the iPad the professional’s tool of choice.

However, some argue that Apple may simply fold Pixelmator’s features into Photos, and may not invest significantly in creating a standalone app for the platform. But that remains to be seen. We’ll need to wait and see what Apple’s plans are for Pixelmator after the acquisition, but if it does intend to make the iPad a true creative powerhouse, this move could be the beginning of something special.