Apple Acquires Color.io, Web-Based Color Grading Tool

Apple has purchased Patchflyer GmbH, a one-person firm responsible for the widely-used online color grading tool Color.io, according to documents from European regulators. This transaction occurred in January 2026. Jonathan Ochmann, the only employee of Patchflyer and the mind behind Color.io, announced in November 2025 that the site would cease operations on December 31, 2025, due to his decision to join an undisclosed company that had "shaped and inspired me." Over the past decade, Ochmann developed and managed Color.io, attracting over 200,000 users with features such as analog-inspired color science and 3D LUT creation. The technology and Ochmann are now integrated into Apple, with expectations for incorporation into software like Final Cut Pro and Photos. In 2025, Apple acquired 11 companies and continues to seek new acquisitions and talent, including Lux Optics co-founder Sebastiaan de With.