Pixelmator banks on Mac App Store for exclusive distribution
Pixelmator, the developers of streamlined Mac image editor that compares to Adobe Photoshop at a much lower price, has announced exclusive commitment to Apple's new Mac App Store for its software sales and distribution.
In a blog post, the company stated, "we, the Pixelmator Team, believe that the Mac App Store is going to be an absolute hit and are very excited to be part of it.
"And, because it offers so many benefits to our customers, we are fully committed to supporting the Mac App Store by completely moving Pixelmator sales and distribution to the Mac App Store in the upcoming months."
The Pixelmator app was previously priced at $59.99, and sold through a variety of retail sources including Amazon and other online retailers, and Apple's own retail stores. The app is now priced at just $29.99, half off "for a limited time," and includes a free upgrade to the forthcoming Pixelmator 2.0 when it ships later this year.
Existing apps don't transition to the Mac App Store
Because the Mac App Store does not grandfather in existing users, anyone who has purchased an app that is now being sold in the Mac App Store will not be able to use Apple's new store to upgrade their app, or transfer their purchase into the new store.
Existing apps will continue to work, of course, but to be served through the Mac App Store, users will have to repurchase the title, just as CD owners were faced with the option of buying their music from iTunes again.
That has prompted Pixelmator to offer its special price and free 2.0 upgrade; other developers are wrestling with how they will make the transition, or if they will continue to maintain parallel sales and upgrades independent from the App Store.
Pixelmator noted a variety of reasons for moving exclusively to the new App Store, including easy installation for users, automatic update notifications that make it easy to stay up-to-date with the most recent version, the ability for users to download all the apps they buy to new computers or other Macs they own, freedom from having to deal with serial numbers and anti-piracy measures, and the fact that Pixelmator developers "are able to focus even more on what we are good at?creating the best image editor for the Mac. And that is, of course, good for you."
For existing users that chose not to buy the new version of Pixelmator from the App Store, the company will continue to deliver free 1.0 updates until the new 2.0 version ships later this year. That version will only be available through the Mac App Store. The company also offers a free 30 day trial from its website, something it won't be able to do through the Mac App Store itself.
Pixelmator's enthusiastic support for the Mac App Store, which just opened yesterday, flies in the face of criticism that developers would chafe at Apple's 30 percent retail cut and other App Store policies.
In a blog post, the company stated, "we, the Pixelmator Team, believe that the Mac App Store is going to be an absolute hit and are very excited to be part of it.
"And, because it offers so many benefits to our customers, we are fully committed to supporting the Mac App Store by completely moving Pixelmator sales and distribution to the Mac App Store in the upcoming months."
The Pixelmator app was previously priced at $59.99, and sold through a variety of retail sources including Amazon and other online retailers, and Apple's own retail stores. The app is now priced at just $29.99, half off "for a limited time," and includes a free upgrade to the forthcoming Pixelmator 2.0 when it ships later this year.
Existing apps don't transition to the Mac App Store
Because the Mac App Store does not grandfather in existing users, anyone who has purchased an app that is now being sold in the Mac App Store will not be able to use Apple's new store to upgrade their app, or transfer their purchase into the new store.
Existing apps will continue to work, of course, but to be served through the Mac App Store, users will have to repurchase the title, just as CD owners were faced with the option of buying their music from iTunes again.
That has prompted Pixelmator to offer its special price and free 2.0 upgrade; other developers are wrestling with how they will make the transition, or if they will continue to maintain parallel sales and upgrades independent from the App Store.
Pixelmator noted a variety of reasons for moving exclusively to the new App Store, including easy installation for users, automatic update notifications that make it easy to stay up-to-date with the most recent version, the ability for users to download all the apps they buy to new computers or other Macs they own, freedom from having to deal with serial numbers and anti-piracy measures, and the fact that Pixelmator developers "are able to focus even more on what we are good at?creating the best image editor for the Mac. And that is, of course, good for you."
For existing users that chose not to buy the new version of Pixelmator from the App Store, the company will continue to deliver free 1.0 updates until the new 2.0 version ships later this year. That version will only be available through the Mac App Store. The company also offers a free 30 day trial from its website, something it won't be able to do through the Mac App Store itself.
Pixelmator's enthusiastic support for the Mac App Store, which just opened yesterday, flies in the face of criticism that developers would chafe at Apple's 30 percent retail cut and other App Store policies.
Comments
Pixelmator, the developers of streamlined Mac image editor that compares to Adobe Photoshop at a much lower price,
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Really. It compares to Photoshop CS5? Have you used them side-by-side?
Really. It compares to Photoshop CS5? Have you used them side-by-side?
I know nothing about this program. I don't really need photoshop level editing. Anyone know if it is significantly more capable/useful than iPhoto? For $30 it might be worth a shot...
Still, I like having the option of keeping the disk images, so I can go back to the older version of some apps, when the new version has problems. That's mainly been a problem with Apple apps - iMovie (went back to iMovie HD) and iTunes (the iTunes 10 display of artwork is terribly ugly and ruins the entire app for me).
I know nothing about this program. I don't really need photoshop level editing. Anyone know if it is significantly more capable/useful than iPhoto? For $30 it might be worth a shot...
True
I know nothing about this program. I don't really need photoshop level editing. Anyone know if it is significantly more capable/useful than iPhoto? For $30 it might be worth a shot...
MacWorld reviewed it, and liked it, though they slightly prefer Photoshop Elements. But Pixelmator is now a third the price, and if 2.0 plugs the holes it'll be a steal.
Really. It compares to Photoshop CS5? Have you used them side-by-side?
For the things Pixelmator is good at (image editing), it compares well enough. Certainly for the price.
Photoshop tries very hard to be every kind of image editor/art studio/design program/paint program/etc. possible. I've used PS professionally for 15 years and there are parts of it I've barely ever touched, they're so specialized. And they charge for that whole range of capability, meaning that only professionals with wide-ranging requirements will ever get the full use of it.
I wouldn't trade in Photoshop for Pixelmator myself, but if I was just starting out or if I was only doing design work for myself, I'd definitely give it a shot. I've recommended it to people before.
MacWorld reviewed it, and liked it, though they slightly prefer Photoshop Elements. But Pixelmator is now a third the price, and if 2.0 plugs the holes it'll be a steal.
It may compare to Photoshop Elements but if that is what the author meant, they should make that distinction.
For the things Pixelmator is good at (image editing), it compares well enough. Certainly for the price.
Photoshop tries very hard to be every kind of image editor/art studio/design program/paint program/etc. possible. I've used PS professionally for 15 years and there are parts of it I've barely ever touched, they're so specialized.
I think that the imagination of the artists who use Photoshop have pushed Adobe into developing what Photoshop is today - a robust, diverse tool (some updates have been more useful than others but by and large it is a fantastic piece of software) and if the writer's intent was that Pixelmator compares to a subset of PS tools, then they should have said that but to imply that it compares to Photoshop is misleading.
I think that the imagination of the artists who use Photoshop have pushed Adobe into developing what Photoshop is today - a robust, diverse tool (some updates have been more useful than others but by and large it is a fantastic piece of software) and if the writer's intent was that Pixelmator compares to a subset of PS tools, then they should have said that but to imply that it compares to Photoshop is misleading.
Nonsense - it does compare to photoshop. Read the reviews elsewhere. It does exactly what 90% of PS users use it for. As other pros have said, they don't use many/most of PS features and functions. Do some research before you post such comments. It is time Adobe got some solid competition for their overpriced, overly complicated and bloated products. It is ridiculous the amount of money they charge.
I know nothing about this program. I don't really need photoshop level editing. Anyone know if it is significantly more capable/useful than iPhoto? For $30 it might be worth a shot...
...but definitely worth $30.00. It dovetails nearly perfectly with iPhoto, and does pretty much everything one might need to do for touch up and other fun stuff.
Not a prepress tool, however. No path tool, no CMYK color space, other high end functions.
Pixelmator is a good tool for a lot of tasks; in some instances better than PhotoShop. You don't need a jackhammer to smash ants.
Here's another review of the most recent version - http://digitalapplejuice.com/review-pixelmator-1-6/
Been using it in place of PS myself and find it to be an amazing program for the price and performance and does everything I need it to do.
...but definitely worth $30.00. It dovetails nearly perfectly with iPhoto, and does pretty much everything one might need to do for touch up and other fun stuff.
Not a prepress tool, however. No path tool, no CMYK color space, other high end functions.
Pixelmator is a good tool for a lot of tasks; in some instances better than PhotoShop. You don't need a jackhammer to smash ants.
Great points - hopefully we'll see some or all of this in release 2.0 later this year.
Nonsense - it does compare to photoshop. Read the reviews elsewhere. It does exactly what 90% of PS users use it for. As other pros have said, they don't use many/most of PS features and functions. Do some research before you post such comments. It is time Adobe got some solid competition for their overpriced, overly complicated and bloated products. It is ridiculous the amount of money they charge.
I don't have to do 'some research' - I have actually USED both products (v1.6 of Pixelmator and will get around to testing v2 when they post a demo). I run a company of design, 3D, Flash, programming and video pros (while I have used PS since version 3 I don't consider myself a pro) and we constantly test new products as they come out. Pixelmator may do everything you want but for a professional shop it is does not compare to the feature set of Photoshop. As for Photoshop being overly complicated and bloated, I think that is more a limit of the user's ability and imagination than a problem with the software. I do agree with your idea that competition can create better products (I think that Lightroom is a better program for the competition that Apple brought with Aperture and we have used both BTW along with Capture One Pro). With regards to price, you should make be able to make up the expense of a suite of Photoshop in a days' work (depending on where you live, skill level etc.)
This does not take away from PM (I just took issue with the author seeming to indicate that it was a cheap comparable replacement for Photoshop). This discussion had me going back to play with it and it is clean and simple (in a good way), launches quickly and has a nice toolset and for a lot of people I am sure that they will need nothing more than PM.
Here's one review, and its for an older version - http://themacfeed.com/2009/11/review-pixelmator/
Here's another review of the most recent version - http://digitalapplejuice.com/review-pixelmator-1-6/
Been using it in place of PS myself and find it to be an amazing program for the price and performance and does everything I need it to do.
To quote from one of your reviews:
"Our Verdict:
We are speechless about this application! It is something that we were not expecting out of such a small team. The price of Pixelmator is $59 and that is a price no one can pass up. Do not get Photoshop Elements. Get Pixelmator! "
They compare it to Photoshop ELEMENTS!
The other review concludes with:
"This overview of the new features in the PIXELMATOR 1.6 update just reinforce my conclusions that this is a good alternative program for the budget conscious designer or student who can use PIXELMATOR on an Apple computer. A free trial is downloadable, and the $59,00 price tag is a real deal. I recommend it to the student or the designer on a budget."
Photoshop CS5 is a professional tool and neither review would seem to indicate that they would recommend PM over PS (at least for diverse professional design work).
Great points - hopefully we'll see some or all of this in release 2.0 later this year.
Path tool, yes. But I think Pixelmator does not need to compete with Photoshop for prepress (CMYK). They need to keep it lean and mean instead of the Swiss Army Knife that Photoshop has become.
Unless something changes, it's unlikely I'll be sending them any more dollars.
One thing they didn't mention was that they are shafting their existing customers. They have pulled Pixelmator from their web site [the version that accepts their old licenses], and their App Store/Trial version seems more than just version bumped from their last update.
Unless something changes, it's unlikely I'll be sending them any more dollars.
For that $30, you get the current version plus the 2.0 version when it ships - kinda like a prepaid upgrade for 2.0.