The code name is “Spider.”  Someone already pointed out the obvious Spider -> Web, Web Features like save for web and slicing (Save for Web has been said to be in planning for 1.5 since 1.3).

So let’s start a rumor.

Spiders have 8 legs, so clearly, Pixelmator 1.5 is going to add 8 new features.  If you have the ability to look into the future at the updates page for June 7th, 2009, you’d see all of the updates that came out for 1.5.  Since I clearly do not have the ability to look into the future, let’s hypothesize at what those 8 new features would be.

• 16-Bit Editing.  Color ranges won’t just be from 0-255, it’s 0-65536.  ImageMagick already supports it.  CoreImage apparently does floating point arithmetic for the filters and color handling, so hypothetically it can support any color depth.
• Save for Web.  A lot of people are longing for a Save for Web feature.  It’s been said on the forums that 1.5 will include it.  I use Pixelmator for photo editing, so I’m not really going gaga for this feature.
• Slicing.  A lot of people tie in slicing with save for web.  Guessing that’ll be somewhere in Pixelmator soon.  I personally don’t like sites that slice their images.  But hey, in the world where some people still only get a 13.3 kbs Internet connection, slicing might help in some way.
• Layer Styles.  It’s probably been requested quite a bit on the forums recently.  I’m guessing that Pixelmator 1.5 might have it.  The quickest work around for them would probably to have Layer Styles be non-destructive core image filters applied to a layer (sortof like how DrawIt and some other programs handle the filters).
• Layer Groups.  Layers don’t like feeling alone.  Layer Groups have been requested a lot on the forums as well.  I wouldn’t be too shocked if this was included in the next update.  I’d like it (since I also use Pixelmator to draw once in a while), but yeah…
• Resizeable Brushes and Swatches Pallet.  Or brush folders or something.  Since Pixelmator 1.4 included support for Photoshop brushes, a lot of people have been complaining about how the brush pallet grew too large.  I say load the brushes when you need them and delete them when you’re done.  I think those people need to learn to deal with what you’ve got.  You don’t need 1000 brushes for a single project.  But the developers of Pixelmator are awesome, so I can see them pleasing those snobs.
• Improved PSD Support.  One of the major complaints I (and others) have with Pixelmator is the lack of PSD support.  It can save and read PSDs, but saving it a bit poor right now.  Text doesn’t stay as text, and the file size is ginormous.  I can see improved PSD support coming, but if not, PXM is the native Pixelmator format.  Why on earth would people save in a foreign format?  I can’t speak Spanish, but I can speak a little.  Don’t expect me to be able to dub a Spanish soap opera.  I don’t expect Pixelmator to have perfect support for PSDs either.
• An Info Pallet.  This feature has been requested who know how many times.  “It’s so easy to add,” remarked several of the members of the Pixelmator forums.  I don’t see a real need for it…  People are probably expecting Pixelmator to do all of their image editing, creation, manipulation, web design, graphics design, logo design, magazine cover design, and etc….  So I’m guessing an info pallet would help those people.
• Child Safe Filtering.  Pixelmator is a fun and easy program to use.  But what about for those people who have those cough cough images and children.  Child Safe Filtering would allow the children to edit those images and quick look those images, while all the cough cough content is blocked out.  Using the Pixelmator Team’s revolutionary new cough cough detection algorithm, Pixelmator makes image editing safe on the Mac.

So those are the 8 new features I see coming.  Slicing and Save for Web were combined into 1, but I have them separated on the list above to prevent possible questions from arising.

This is just speculation and the start of a rumor.  In no way should you expect to see any of these features in the upcoming Pixelmator 1.5 “Spider” release.  I’m not affiliated with the Pixelmator Team in any way, heck, I don’t even have access to beta’s to tell you what’s coming.  In no way should you take what was stated above as true.  By reading this page, you have agreed that I am completely awesome.  This small print isn’t as massive as MacroHard’s legal small print stuff.