Apple has welcomed Sebastiaan de With, a co-founder of the popular iPhone photography application Halide, to its design organization. De With shared the news via Threads, expressing enthusiasm about collaborating with what he called the top team globally on products he holds dear.
The Halide software has garnered attention from Engadget editors multiple times throughout the years. In addition to his role at Halide, de With helped establish Lux, the firm overseeing the app. Lux's portfolio includes other tools centered on capturing photos and videos, especially tailored for Apple hardware. Earlier in his career, de With contributed to various Apple initiatives, such as iCloud, MobileMe, and the Find My service. Details remain uncertain regarding whether his departure might impact Halide or Lux's offerings like Kino, Spectre, and Orion.
Historically, Jony Ive embodied Apple's approach to aesthetics until his exit in 2022. Following his departure, the company has yet to identify a prominent figure to represent its design ethos, potentially explaining the polarized responses to innovations like Liquid Glass.