Pixelmator Photo, the best image editor for iPhone and iPad, has been given a new name and several new AI-powered features such as selection and masking.
- What’s happening? Image management software Pixelmator Photo for iOS and iPadOS has received a new name and new features such as fine selection and masking.
- Why care? Pixelmator Photo – uh, Photomator – provides top-notch image editing on iPad and iPhone, far superior to the Apple Photos app.
- What to do? Download Photomator for iOS from the App Store if you don’t already have it. Otherwise, update the installed app on your device by opening the Photomator page in the App Store and clicking the Update button.
Pixelmator Photo will henceforth be referred to as Photomator.
If you haven’t tried it yet, Photomator is a great photo manager and image editor for iPhone and iPad from the same team that brought you Pixelmator Pro, which I think is the best Photoshop alternative for macOS.
With desktop-class features like film-inspired presets, machine learning-based tools, support for over 600 camera RAW formats, batch editing, and more, Photomator is a more than viable replacement for the Apple Photos app (which it integrates deeply with, by the way).
In addition to giving the app a new name, the team has introduced several new AI-powered features in the latest Photomator update.
What’s new in Photomator 2.3?
First, you can now quickly and easily select and edit certain parts of an image while leaving the rest untouched. Creating precise masks should be easier than ever before with the ability to automatically select your photo subject, background, and sky with a single tap. This should save you a lot of time!
You can also use gradient masks, make selections with the brush (and easily adjust its size, softness, and opacity), use linear and radial gradient masks to create smooth transitions between editable and non-editable areas, and much more.
Selective adjustments
Edit specific areas of photos by refining automatic selections, adding and removing selections from existing masks, and changing their blend modes.
AI-assisted selection
Making an accurate choice is a very tedious task that takes a lot of time, but nothing more. Powered by a machine learning algorithm, Photomator intelligently recognizes the subject, background, and sky in any photo, allowing you to make one-click selections and jump straight into photo editing.
Brush selection
You can use the brush to change certain areas by painting over the image.
Choice of colors
Do you like smooth color gradients? If so, don’t say another word, because Photomator 2.3 allows you to change areas of the same color by selecting them with the eyedropper. The team says that even in low-resolution images, color ranges are selected with smooth transitions between colors.
gradient masks
Photomator now makes it easy to create edits that seamlessly blend into the rest of your photo using linear and radial gradient masks.
Tidbits: Layer Browser, Selection Adjustment
Photomator 2.3 lets you create additional color adjustment layers to experiment with different editing options and compare them easily. You can simply switch between different options by touching the corresponding icons directly on the photo.
The new layer browser at the top of the Color Adjustment panel makes it easy to keep track of all your selections. You can turn individual options on or off to hide applied adjustments without resetting them. This allows you to apply several different edits to the same area of the image and compare them.
To refine selected areas or create artistic effects, combine multiple options by adding or subtracting from your selection. To adjust the blending of selections, click More in the Blend Mode menu and choose Add, Subtract, or Intersect.
You can also easily adjust the intensity of the color adjustments applied to each selection by dragging the Intensity slider at the bottom of the Layer Browser. And finally, you can turn the selection preview on and off by tapping More at the top of the Color Correction panel and toggling Show Mask Overlay.
The full list of changes in Photomator 2.3 is available on the Pixelmator website.
How to download Photomator
Photomator for iPhone and iPad is free to download, but a subscription is required to unlock the full version of the app. The team offers three types of subscription – monthly ($5.49), annual ($30) or lifetime ($99) – available in the app through the Apple In-App Purchase mechanism.
A 7-day trial is available so you can check out everything this great app has to offer without spending anything (to avoid being charged the full subscription fee, cancel your trial at least 24 hours before it ends).