Sebastiaan de With Returns to Apple Design Team, Halide’s Future Remains Bright
Sebastiaan de With, co-founder of Lux—the company behind the acclaimed Halide camera app—is rejoining Apple to become part of its esteemed Design Team. This move marks a significant return for de With, who previously contributed to Apple’s iCloud and Find My teams.
Apple’s culture of discretion often keeps its internal movements under wraps. However, the integration of prominent figures from the Apple community occasionally surfaces, drawing public attention. Such is the case with de With’s recent announcement.
On January 28, 2026, de With shared his excitement about the new role:
> Some big personal news: I’ve joined the Design Team at Apple.
> So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products.
De With’s portfolio includes not only Halide but also other notable applications like Kino and Spectre. His return to Apple suggests potential enhancements to Apple’s design initiatives, possibly influencing future iterations of the Camera app and other software interfaces.
Concerns about the future of Lux and its flagship product, Halide, have been addressed by Ben Sandofsky, Lux’s other co-founder. In a statement to AppleInsider, Sandofsky expressed optimism:
> I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of Lux and Halide. Today we launched the public preview of Halide Mark III, and the reception is more positive than we possibly could have hoped.
> As we mentioned in the announcement post today, we’ve been working with the legendary team at The Iconfactory on Mark III. We’re also super excited to be collaborating with the renowned colorist Cullen Kelly on the new looks in Mark III.
> Ten years ago I started Halide, and for ten years, I lead product, ran the business, and coded almost everything. Except for the paywall. I hate working on payment screens. But I built everything else, and design was always a collaborative experience.
> So in short, Halide is going nowhere. This has been my full-time job since 2019, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
This assurance underscores that Lux remains committed to its mission, with Halide’s development and support continuing unabated.
De With’s return to Apple comes at a time when the company’s design leadership has experienced notable changes. Following the departure of Jony Ive in 2019, the design team has seen shifts in leadership roles. Evans Hankey took over as vice president of industrial design but departed in 2023, leading to the design team reporting directly to COO Jeff Williams. With Williams set to retire by the end of 2025, the design team will soon report directly to CEO Tim Cook. De With’s addition to the team may bring fresh perspectives during this transitional period.
In the broader context of Apple’s design evolution, the company has been integrating new design languages across its platforms. The introduction of Liquid Glass in iOS 26 exemplifies this trend, offering a translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, dynamically transforming to enhance user focus. De With’s expertise in app design and user experience could play a pivotal role in further refining these innovations.
As Apple continues to evolve its design philosophy, the return of seasoned designers like de With signals a commitment to blending tradition with innovation. Users and industry observers alike will be keen to see how his contributions influence Apple’s product designs in the coming years.
