Pixelmator for iOS Updated With Dynamic Touch, Repair Tool Improvements

[MacRumors]

Pixelmator for the iPhone and iPad was today updated to version 2.0.2, adding the first major new features since the app expanded to the iPhone in May. The 2.0.2 update brings Dynamic Touch, a new feature for all of the app's Retouch tools.

With Dynamic Touch, users can adjust the stroke size of Retouch tools without needing to open up the brush settings menu for faster image corrections. Dynamic Touch detects the surface area of the finger that's in contact with the screen and changes the brush size accordingly. If you paint with just the tip of your finger, the brush will be thinner, while painting with a full finger on the screen will make the brush thicker.

Today's update brings the Pixelmator for Mac repair tool algorithm to iOS, which makes removing unwanted images from a photograph or image quicker and more precise. According to the app's release notes, the repair tool is up to five times faster.

"There are numerous ways to repair any area of an image, so we did a lot of testing on a Mac Pro to optimize the algorithm of our Repair tool," said Simonas Bastys, the lead developer of the Pixelmator Team. "We analyzed millions of possible ways to repair areas of various complexity, and then compared the speed and quality ratio of each final result. After six months of testing, we derived a repairing algorithm that gives stunning quality with incredible speed every single time. Pixelmator for iOS now takes advantage of the same algorithm."

In addition to the above mentioned features, Pixelmator is also gaining an improved Pixelmator Photo Editing extension for editing directly within Apple's Photos app, and the Pixelmator team is also introducing both an iOS Guide Book and a selection of tutorials that will help iPhone users get the most out of the photo editing app.

Pixelmator for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Pixelmator for iOS Updated With Dynamic Touch, Repair Tool Improvements

 

[TMRJIJ]

I love this app. These guys know how to innovate.

 

[jlc1978]

I love this app. These guys know how to innovate.

I agree. I've use date OS X version since it came out and find it pretty much equal to Photoshop for my needs. Unless you need some feature that is only available in PS Pixelmator is a great low cost alternative.

 

[2457282]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

 

[Keane16]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

That really is not viable. Unless they started charging more for the Mac app in the first place to cover the iOS development costs. But then there would be users who only use the Mac version that are in effect paying for the iPad version that they don't use. Or conversely, users that only want the iPad version and not the Mac.

The iPad app is completely different, if it was a simple case of clicking a button and recompiling the Mac app for iPad, sure. But it's so much more involved than that. They really deserve to charge for all the platforms, the software is superb.

 

[flowsy]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

I'm afraid to tell you: You will have to pay for every Nikon lens you might get in the future.

 

[JPark]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

You would have preferred to pay $5 more on the mac and received the iOS version for free? I feel like I'm being trolled here...

 

[windowpain]

Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

If they added five bucks to the OS X version, wouldn't that mean you end up paying the same?
Or even more if you just needed the one version..

They are priced very reasonably imho. They could probably get away with charging much more for the apps.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Just tried this new dynamic touch with the repair tool, pretty nice!

Love that they have a manual now.

 

[Menel]

Be nice if the repair tool and more were in the Photos extensions.

 

[teslo]

I love this app. These guys know how to innovate.

well, not to nit pick but the word innovate has lost most of its meaning on this forum. technically they're just (one of?) the first competent app developers to take on the task of converting main photoshop functions into a cheaper bundle. and i'd say they haven't nailed it yet - on my 5S using the repair function takes a good 30sec or more to process if the image is detailed (and heats it up significantly). might be different on the 6/6+ but i've yet to hear from anyone about it.
edit: i failed to notice the article states the Repair tool is now 5x faster - i rushed and thought they were still talking about the dynamic touch - always good to read carefully)

point is, they're doing a good job, but not really hitting a home-run... yet. especially if apple decides to make their iPad pro operate on iOS rather than OS X.. pixelmator will have some SERIOUS work to do if apple expects design/drafting/art professionals to migrate to the iPad rather than throw in the towel and get the surface pro we've all been eyeballing since it came out some 3 friggin years ago (step it up, Apple!).

pixelmatr just won't hold water, even if it's twice as good as it is now. photoshop is often used by casual consumers for touch ups or cropping, but professionals know the ins and outs of photoshop, and its features and functions are almost endless (mind boggling, really).

 

[QuarterSwede]

Pixelmator takes away the sting of not having iPhoto anymore.

 

[mariusignorello]

edit: i failed to notice the article states the Repair tool is now 5x faster

So now it takes 24 seconds on a 5s?

 

[2457282]

You would have preferred to pay $5 more on the mac and received the iOS version for free? I feel like I'm being trolled here...

If they added five bucks to the OS X version, wouldn't that mean you end up paying the same?
Or even more if you just needed the one version..

They are priced very reasonably imho. They could probably get away with charging much more for the apps.

I think that they should charge for the iOS version. What I was trying to say is that they should give the iOS version for free to buyers of the OSX version. That is why I stated they should include a redeemable coupon. Also, I would think that a budled package of OSX and iOS versions would not require raising the price the full $5.

 

[jlc1978]

I think that they should charge for the iOS version. What I was trying to say is that they should give the iOS version for free to buyers of the OSX version. That is why I stated they should include a redeemable coupon. Also, I would think that a budled package of OSX and iOS versions would not require raising the price the full $5.

The problem is that Apple really doesn't make it easy to do that, and would probably charge them for each redemption. In the end, it's far easier to simply charge for both, and it's not like $5 is unreasonable, compared to say, OmniGraffle...

 

[2457282]

The problem is that Apple really doesn't make it easy to do that, and would probably charge them for each redemption. In the end, it's far easier to simply charge for both, and it's not like $5 is unreasonable, compared to say, OmniGraffle...

Your point on the Apple Store hurdles is important and I did not think of that. Apple, please fix it so developers can bundle accross platforms. This is good for developers as well as Apple.

 

[Keane16]

on my 5S using the repair function takes a good 30sec or more to process if the image is detailed (and heats it up significantly). might be different on the 6/6+ but i've yet to hear from anyone about it.

I haven't noticed any serious heating up on either my iPad Air 2 or iPhone 6. But The 6 is definitely slower than the iPad. Not much you can do. The 5s is coming up to 2 years old, the processing power of these mobile chips is still growing ridiculously, it's to be expected. You've got to remember that the repair tool is the same algorithm running on their desktop app, repackaged to run on iOS - that's got to take some grunt to drive.

The heat part should be nothing to worry about, if it was getting too hot the OS would throttle the CPU speed and if it was an issue shut down. An example, in graph form: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7460/apple-ipad-air-review/3

So now it takes 24 seconds on a 5s?

6 seconds? Ha, in all seriousness it's probably "up to 5x". And even then only on the latest hardware.

I think that they should charge for the iOS version. What I was trying to say is that they should give the iOS version for free to buyers of the OSX version. That is why I stated they should include a redeemable coupon. Also, I would think that a budled package of OSX and iOS versions would not require raising the price the full $5.

I own both the OS X and iOS version. Happily paid. And will pay for future major releases if that's what they want. I hate this race to the bottom in software. Good software is worth paying for. $5 is almost nothing when you already own the OS X app, an iOS device and a Mac.

Nothing more annoying than good software dying because the devs ran out of money. Everpix still hurts.

 

[FredT2]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

You can't be serious. What did you pay for Pixelmator for the Mac? Now, what did you pay for your Nikon camera? Just a bit more, right? And what would you pay for Photoshop? How can you complain about spending $5 more for the most powerful image editing program available on iOS, which is really a completely different program that undoubtedly cost a great deal of money to develop? I don't mean to pick on you, but we really have to be more realistic about the value of software on iOS devices if we expect to continue to have great apps developed for us. Pixelmator for iOS should have been a minimum of $10 from the start.

 

[hellosil]

Pixelmator for iOS is discounted from 4,99 EUR to 0,99 EUR in the Netherlands (15th of Juli 2015).
(in April 2015 it was priced at 9,99 EUR)

 

[KALLT]

Be nice if the repair tool and more were in the Photos extensions.

Perhaps in the future?

 

[bcollett]

I just bought a Nikon Camera and decided to get pixelmator on my iMac. Still playing with the camera and have not started with photo editing, but that is coming. My big disappointment is that in order to use the software on the iPad, I need to buy the software AGAIN. I may get the iPad version since it is only USD$5.00, but I will do so begrudgingly. Would have prefered to pay a little more on the mac and have the iOS version given for free (maybe through a redeemable coupon).

I hate to say it, but.... it's only $0.99 right now in the US App Store.