Google acquires Instagram rival Snapseed for undisclosed sum

PanARMENIAN.Net - Google has acquired the makers of iOS photo-editing app Snapseed, Nik Software, for an undisclosed sum, Mashable reports.

Snapseed is one of the most sophisticated photo-editing and enhancement apps on the market, going beyond Instagram’s simple filters, rotation and tilt-shift effects to allow users to spot edit and tweak white balance, contrast and saturation. It lacks, however, Instagram’s built-in social network — Snapseed is all about photo optimization and film-like filter effects. It’s available as both an iOS and desktop app for Mac and Windows.Snapseed’s website indicates an Android version was in the works.

Nik Software, a 17-year-old company based in San Diego, offers a range of other photo-editing software, but Snapseed is its core product.

Google’s acquisition of Picnik, a browser-based image-editing tool, only closed this spring. It seems likely that Google is working to bring more photo-editing tools to Google+ — as The Verge points out, Google+ already offers some basic editing tools, including the ability to crop and sharpen images and apply filters.

Perhaps tech giant is hoping people will upload their photos first to Google+ rather than Facebook if they can edit while they upload. It’s a feasible ambition — just look at how many people filter their photos on Instagram before sharing them to Facebook, Mashable says.