Will Aperture return to Mac? What could happen now that Apple buys Pixelmator

The recent acquisition of Pixelmator by Apple has sparked great interest. With this acquisition, Apple acquires one of the most popular editing tools in its ecosystem. One that has already proven its capability in the world of image and photo editing. The question many are now asking is: Could Apple be preparing the return of Aperture, its former professional editing application?

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Pixelmator, a company based in Vilnius, Lithuania, has developed applications over its 17-year history that have competed head-to-head with much more expensive alternatives. Pixelmator Pro and Photomator stand out for offering powerful image editing, artificial intelligence and machine learning features, and very deep integration with Apple devices. From background removal tools to super-resolution features, Pixelmator’s apps have caught attention, and with that, Apple’s decision to acquire Pixelmator opens up new possibilities for the evolution of its products and services aimed at photo editing.

Aperture, Apple’s professional approach to photography

Aperture, developed by Apple, was an application for photo management and editing aimed at professional photographers and advanced amateurs. Launched in 2005, Aperture offered us a variety of tools that competed with products like Adobe Lightroom, from organizing and classifying photos to editing in RAW.

In 2014, Apple decided to discontinue the development of Aperture, which left a gap in its ecosystem for those of us who needed a well-integrated professional solution. Apple chose to focus on the Photos app, which, although more than functional, powerful, and easy to use, is more oriented towards occasional use.

Over time, we have become accustomed to using third-party options for editing. Among these options, Pixelmator has been one of the most prominent, providing an extremely well-designed interface, a language and approach very similar to Apple’s, and truly powerful tools. Now, with the purchase of Pixelmator, the door opens for Apple to bring back Aperture.

Could Apple bring back Aperture?

Apple has shown in the past that its acquisitions are not merely a technology absorption, but an opportunity to enhance its ecosystem. We find examples in the acquisition of Dark Sky in 2020, which allowed the integration of better weather data into the Weather app, or Workflow in 2017, which resulted in the creation of Shortcuts, now central to the use of our devices and for the future use of Apple Intelligence and Siri. Following this pattern, the purchase of Pixelmator should not just result in the app being free and the responsibility for its evolution becoming Apple’s.

Initially yes, of course, the same statement from Pixelmator states that “for now there will be no material changes” in the apps, but that “we should stay alert to what is coming.”

The question here is, will we see a dedicated app or will Pixelmator integrate into the Photos app? It’s too early to draw conclusions, but the depth of the tools offered by Pixelmator calls for a dedicated tool. Apple could eventually integrate some of Pixelmator’s tools into its native applications, but it doesn’t seem like all of them.

Although it must be acknowledged that it seems unlikely that Apple will reclaim the name “Aperture” for its new professional photo editing software, what does seem clear is that we will go beyond Photos. Just as there is iMovie and then Final Cut, the result of this purchase would have to follow a similar path.

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We are in the realm of speculation, no doubt, but with some backing from past experiences. In any case, the acquisition of Pixelmator represents a great opportunity for Apple to once again offer photographers and professionals their own tool. Whether through an update to Photos, a new version of Aperture, or a completely new application, this purchase is set to mark a significant advancement for those of us who use Apple devices.