iOS: create an darker version of UIImage and leave transparent pixels unchanged?

This is the class I use to color images even if they are transparent.

+ (UIImage *)colorizeImage:(UIImage *)image withColor:(UIColor *)color {
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(image.size, NO, image.scale);

    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
    CGRect area = CGRectMake(0, 0, image.size.width, image.size.height);

    CGContextScaleCTM(context, 1, -1);
    CGContextTranslateCTM(context, 0, -area.size.height);

    CGContextSaveGState(context);
    CGContextClipToMask(context, area, image.CGImage);

    [color set];
    CGContextFillRect(context, area);

    CGContextRestoreGState(context);

    CGContextSetBlendMode(context, kCGBlendModeMultiply);

    CGContextDrawImage(context, area, image.CGImage);

    UIImage *colorizedImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();

    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

    return colorizedImage;
}

To darken the image you would pass the method a black or gray UIColor with lowered transparency.

How about trying a CoreImage Filter?

You could use the CIColorControls filter to adjust the input brightness and contrast to darken the image.

CIContext *context = [CIContext contextWithOptions:nil];
CIImage *inputImage = [[CIImage alloc] initWithImage:sourceImage]; //your input image

CIFilter *filter= [CIFilter filterWithName:@"CIColorControls"];
[filter setValue:inputImage forKey:@"inputImage"];
[filter setValue:[NSNumber numberWithFloat:0.5] forKey:@"inputBrightness"];

// Your output image
UIImage *outputImage = [UIImage imageWithCGImage:[context createCGImage:filter.outputImage fromRect:filter.outputImage.extent]];

Read more about the CIFilter parameters here:

http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/graphicsimaging/reference/CoreImageFilterReference/Reference/reference.html%23//apple_ref/doc/filter/ci/CIColorControls

Here's a quick Swift version, using a CIExposureAdjust CIFilter :)

  // Get the original image and set up the CIExposureAdjust filter
  guard let originalImage = UIImage(named: "myImage"),
    let inputImage = CIImage(image: originalImage),
    let filter = CIFilter(name: "CIExposureAdjust") else { return }

  // The inputEV value on the CIFilter adjusts exposure (negative values darken, positive values brighten)
  filter.setValue(inputImage, forKey: "inputImage")
  filter.setValue(-2.0, forKey: "inputEV")

  // Break early if the filter was not a success (.outputImage is optional in Swift)
  guard let filteredImage = filter.outputImage else { return }

  let context = CIContext(options: nil)
  let outputImage = UIImage(CGImage: context.createCGImage(filteredImage, fromRect: filteredImage.extent))

  myImageView.image = outputImage // use the filtered UIImage as required.