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Apple has acquired Patchflyer, the one-person company behind Color.io, a web-based color grading tool used by photographers and filmmakers, according to acquisition disclosures reported by MacRumors. Color.io creator Jonathan Ochmann has also joined Apple, though Apple hasn’t announced what it plans to do with the technology.
Color.io was known for its film-inspired color tools, custom color models and an in-browser workflow. It appealed to creators looking for more advanced color grading without opening a full desktop editing suite. That service shut down on December 31, 2025.
In November 2025, Ochmann shared news of the closure on the Color.io site, as found via the Internet Archive. “Color.io isn’t shutting down because it’s struggling. But after 10+ years of running everything alone, I’ve reached a point where I need to grow in ways that aren’t possible as a solo builder,” he wrote. “I have an opportunity to work alongside a company whose products have shaped and inspired me, to work on creative tooling at a scale I could never reach on my own.” It’s now apparent that Apple was that company.
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Color.io’s browser-based interface helped make film-inspired grading tools accessible without a full desktop editing suite. Image: Color.io |
The acquisition is especially interesting given Apple’s recent interest in creative software. Apple completed its acquisition of Pixelmator in February 2025. Then, at the beginning of this year, Apple announced Apple Creator Studio, a subscription bundle of several of Apple’s creative apps, serving as an alternative to Adobe Creative Cloud. The tech giant also acquired MotionVFX, a maker of Final Cut Pro plug-ins and templates, in March.
There’s no word yet on whether, or how, Color.io’s tools will appear in Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Photos or the iPhone Camera app. But for photographers and video creators, the deal suggests that Apple is continuing to build out its color, imaging and creator-tool expertise, potentially with an eye toward making more advanced grading tools easier to access across its software ecosystem.