Why Two Apps?

[Lysander]

The new selection features in Photomator fro Mac are great. Why don't we have these in Pixelmator Pro?

Really, why two apps on the Mac? Can't all the features in Photomator have been incorporated into PMP?

[ResLes]

I would have paid for an upgrade price.

[Samanta]

The new selection features in Photomator fro Mac are great. Why don't we have these in Pixelmator Pro?

Really, why two apps on the Mac? Can't all the features in Photomator have been incorporated into PMP?

Photomator and Pixelmator Pro are designed for different editing workflows. Photomator works great for editing lots of photos, that's why you have such features as selective adjustments and batch editing there. Pixelmator Pro, on the other hand, opens files as single documents – while you can still edit photos there, the app works best for creating designs, and multi-layered compositions, and selections can be used in more ways than just for editing photos. We've got a Compare page if you want to find out more about the difference between the two apps.

[Lysander]

Photomator and Pixelmator Pro are designed for different editing workflows. Photomator works great for editing lots of photos, that's why you have such features as selective adjustments and batch editing there. Pixelmator Pro, on the other hand, opens files as single documents – while you can still edit photos there, the app works best for creating designs, and multi-layered compositions, and selections can be used in more ways than just for editing photos. We've got a Compare page if you want to find out more about the difference between the two apps.

I understand the differences. But why don't we have things like Sky Selection in PMP? We already have Select Subject and Remove Background. So the new selection tools should be in PMP also.

Photoshop which would be a direct comparison to PMP has incorporated this kind of selection tools even though Lightroom has similar functions.

[Samanta]

I understand the differences. But why don't we have things like Sky Selection in PMP? We already have Select Subject and Remove Background. So the new selection tools should be in PMP also.

Photoshop which would be a direct comparison to PMP has incorporated this kind of selection tools even though Lightroom has similar functions.

The Sky Selection tool is essential for Photomator and probably not as essential for making designs in Pixelmator Pro. We'll see what the future brings, though.

[Robert Dominy]

Photomator and Pixelmator Pro are designed for different editing workflows.

Did you vet these workflows with real users? I find myself constantly wanting to use features in each and it just makes no sense to constantly flip between the apps. I often start with Photomator because I like features such as sky selection, being able to add multiple masks, and for doing gradient adjustments. But Photomator is simply missing too many tools from Pixelmator like quick selection, a better interface for layers, etc. etc. So then I abandon the work done in Photomator and switch to Pixelmator. The Photomator UI is not a good Mac UI -- it looks like a hurriedly ported IOS app.

I've really wanted to support alternatives to Adobe, but it's increasingly frustrating to see how the Pixelmator tools are evolving. It's been years since people have asked for lens correction and there's still no support. Noise reduction is miles behind competitor apps such as Photoshop and Topaz. The Pixelmator app replicates organizational functions of the free Apple Photos app -- why? I don't need that unless it's amazingly better (and it's not).

[Lysander]

Did you vet these workflows with real users? I find myself constantly wanting to use features in each and it just makes no sense to constantly flip between the apps. I often start with Photomator because I like features such as sky selection, being able to add multiple masks, and for doing gradient adjustments. But Photomator is simply missing too many tools from Pixelmator like quick selection, a better interface for layers, etc. etc. So then I abandon the work done in Photomator and switch to Pixelmator. The Photomator UI is not a good Mac UI -- it looks like a hurriedly ported IOS app.

I've really wanted to support alternatives to Adobe, but it's increasingly frustrating to see how the Pixelmator tools are evolving. It's been years since people have asked for lens correction and there's still no support. Noise reduction is miles behind competitor apps such as Photoshop and Topaz. The Pixelmator app replicates organizational functions of the free Apple Photos app -- why? I don't need that unless it's amazingly better (and it's not).

I think you meant the Photomater app replicates Apple Photos.

Up until the release of Photomator the Pixelmator team pushed Pixelmator Pro as a great Photo editor in addition to the design tools. I really don't understand why they felt the need for two apps. As you point out selection tools, like Sky selection, would have been a great addition to the layer-based interface in PMP. The whole thing needs re-thinking.

[Mika]

My two cents: in my Adobe workflow, there are times I want to edit through a batch of photos in Lightroom while multitasking with Photoshop on select photos, to then bring back into Lightroom. I'd imagine if Affinity were to build a DAM, it would likely also build two seperate apps with feature parity when appropriate, just as Affinity Photo has its own raw editing section and just as Photoshop also has its Camera Raw mode.

Pixelmator Pro allows working on a per project basis, using tabs. It doesn't make sense for Photomator, which is a DAM, to work in a tabbed setup. They are two very different apps. Saying that, I would like to see a clearer 'Edit in Pixelmator Pro' button added to Photomator, with even more seamless integration between the two apps.

I'd also like to see feature parity when appropriate in terms of Sky Selection in Pixelmator Pro and selection features such as Quick Selection, but also hopefully in the future an ML Object Selector which I use regularly in Lightroom. Meanwhile, it doesn't make sense for me to add text or composite graphics in Photomator, which is designed for non-destructive batch editing.

[Sensored Lens]

Sadly all of our concerns, wishes and feature requests are going to fall on deaf ears. And only seen by those who simply do not care of our wants or needs. "If you don't like it, go somewhere else" is basically the reply, even though it's never actually said by the pix team. ...though often said by the fanboys here. Which are probably just pix team members on dummy accounts venting against the critiques.

The pix team is famous for saying things like, "its something we'll consider in the future", "We'll see what the future brings, though.", "it's not on our current road map but I'll let the team know"...what's on their current road map? "Sorry we can't say, but it is exciting!"...if you can't say, then it's not worth mentioning nor is it exciting and it's probably nothing at all.

It's all just filler and blanket statements. I'm certain that Apple is the major player here and the Pix developers have to answer to them. Heck, Apple probably owns Pixelmator. This would make sense as to why we're not seeing feature requests that have been wanted for years but never put in place. Because Apple is no longer innovative, anything they touch cannot be innovative as well.

I guarantee that if Adobe ever offered a non-subscription version of LR and PS again that only cost US $40.00 a piece, the Pixelmator ship would be set adrift with all the people jumping from it. Apple would then cut ties with it and it would be just another failed product people would talk about how could it could have been if they never got in bed with Apple.

Many here would gladly give Adobe $80.00 for the new non-sub versions of LR & PS each year rather than get free unwanted, useless updates to Pixlemator Pro as well as pay for an extra app. Which I have to say... has features in it that many have requested to be put into Pixlemator Pro years ago! So that was the road map? To put those requested features into an entirely new app that you will have to pay for if you want to use those features?!

Greed. Corporate greed. Sounds very Apple-like doesn't it? It's becoming quite clear who is steering this 3 wheeled turd.

[Samanta]

My two cents: in my Adobe workflow, there are times I want to edit through a batch of photos in Lightroom while multitasking with Photoshop on select photos, to then bring back into Lightroom. I'd imagine if Affinity were to build a DAM, it would likely also build two seperate apps with feature parity when appropriate, just as Affinity Photo has its own raw editing section and just as Photoshop also has its Camera Raw mode.

Pixelmator Pro allows working on a per project basis, using tabs. It doesn't make sense for Photomator, which is a DAM, to work in a tabbed setup. They are two very different apps. Saying that, I would like to see a clearer 'Edit in Pixelmator Pro' button added to Photomator, with even more seamless integration between the two apps.

I'd also like to see feature parity when appropriate in terms of Sky Selection in Pixelmator Pro and selection features such as Quick Selection, but also hopefully in the future an ML Object Selector which I use regularly in Lightroom. Meanwhile, it doesn't make sense for me to add text or composite graphics in Photomator, which is designed for non-destructive batch editing.

Thanks, Mika – that's actually the idea behind the two apps. Feature requests – noted. And, a more seamless integration between Photomator and Pixelmator Pro is definitely on its way!

Sadly all of our concerns, wishes and feature requests are going to fall on deaf ears. And only seen by those who simply do not care of our wants or needs. "If you don't like it, go somewhere else" is basically the reply, even though it's never actually said by the pix team. ...though often said by the fanboys here. Which are probably just pix team members on dummy accounts venting against the critiques.

The pix team is famous for saying things like, "its something we'll consider in the future", "We'll see what the future brings, though.", "it's not on our current road map but I'll let the team know"...what's on their current road map? "Sorry we can't say, but it is exciting!"...if you can't say, then it's not worth mentioning nor is it exciting and it's probably nothing at all.

It's all just filler and blanket statements. I'm certain that Apple is the major player here and the Pix developers have to answer to them. Heck, Apple probably owns Pixelmator. This would make sense as to why we're not seeing feature requests that have been wanted for years but never put in place. Because Apple is no longer innovative, anything they touch cannot be innovative as well.

I guarantee that if Adobe ever offered a non-subscription version of LR and PS again that only cost US $40.00 a piece, the Pixelmator ship would be set adrift with all the people jumping from it. Apple would then cut ties with it and it would be just another failed product people would talk about how could it could have been if they never got in bed with Apple.

Many here would gladly give Adobe $80.00 for the new non-sub versions of LR & PS each year rather than get free unwanted, useless updates to Pixlemator Pro as well as pay for an extra app. Which I have to say... has features in it that many have requested to be put into Pixlemator Pro years ago! So that was the road map? To put those requested features into an entirely new app that you will have to pay for if you want to use those features?!

Greed. Corporate greed. Sounds very Apple-like doesn't it? It's becoming quite clear who is steering this 3 wheeled turd.

I totally understand your frustration regarding the absence of certain features in Pixelmator Pro so far. As I've tried to explain in previous threads, our team's responses may sometimes appear vague because we don't want to make promises unless we're entirely certain a feature will be implemented.

Just to clarify, the Pixelmator Team operates independently. Indeed, Apple can occasionally give a significant push when they introduce new technology, allowing us to implement certain features more rapidly than others. Given that our apps are exclusively available on Apple devices - Mac, iPhone, iPad, and soon Vision Pro - we can't overlook these technological advancements.