Google has acquired the makers of iOS photo-editing app Snapseed, Nik Software, for an undisclosed sum.
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 is 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 one of its core products.
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.