A authorized feud between the co-founders of Lux Optics, the developer behind the Halide digital camera app, revealed that Apple was near buying the corporate. As first reported by The Info, Apple held acquisition talks for Lux Optics, which additionally developed the Kino, Spectre and Orion apps, in the summertime of 2025.
In response to The Info, the deal ultimately fell via in September of that yr, however the potential acquisition may’ve offered Apple with the third-party software program to enhance its personal built-in digital camera app. Apple is already rumored to be introducing variable aperture to its upcoming iPhone 18 Professional fashions, so it isn’t stunning that the iPhone maker was in search of software program with superior options to match its presumably upgraded digital camera {hardware}.
Regardless of Apple’s curiosity, Lux Optics’ co-founders, Ben Sandofsky and Sebastiaan de With concluded that future updates to Halide may improve the corporate’s valuation and ended the acquisition talks. In response to the lawsuit between the co-founders, Sandofsky began investigating de With for the alleged misuse of firm funds shortly after the talks with Apple ended. Afterwards, de With was fired from Lux Optics and later joined Apple’s design crew. Whereas Halide might stay third-party software program for iPhones and iPads, customers can nonetheless look ahead to some software program enhancements to the built-in digital camera app, since that is reportedly one in every of Apple’s priorities.
