A dramatic legal battle has revealed that Apple was in serious talks to acquire Lux Optics, the developer of the acclaimed Halide camera app, during the summer of 2025. The news, first reported by The Information on March 21, surfaced through a lawsuit filed by Lux co-founder Ben Sandofsky against his former partner, Sebastiaan de With.
The acquisition was reportedly a “top priority” for Apple as it sought to bring professional-grade manual controls to the iPhone 18 Pro‘s native Camera app.
The Failed Acquisition: “Waiting for a Better Offer”
Negotiations between Apple and Lux Optics reportedly took place between June and September 2025.
- The Goal: Apple wanted to integrate Lux’s intellectual property—including its 14-bit RAW pipelines and “Process Zero” technology—directly into iOS to bridge the gap between smartphones and dedicated mirrorless cameras.
- The Collapse: The deal fell through in September 2025. Both founders reportedly believed that upcoming updates to Halide and their video app, Kino, would significantly increase the company’s valuation, leading them to reject Apple’s initial offer.
The Legal Drama: Poaching or Theft?
Just two months after the talks failed, the relationship between the two founders imploded, leading to the current lawsuit filed in the California Superior Court of Santa Cruz.
| Allegation | Details (from Sandofsky’s Filing) |
| Financial Misconduct | Accuses de With of misusing over $150,000 in company funds for personal travel and expenses since 2022. |
| IP Theft | Claims de With took confidential source code and internal roadmap materials with him when he joined Apple. |
| Retaliation | De With’s legal team denies all claims, calling the suit a “retaliatory response” after he raised questions about Lux’s financial transparency. |
The “Apple” Connection
Despite the failed acquisition of the company, Apple successfully recruited Sebastiaan de With to its Design Team in January 2026. While Apple is not a defendant in the lawsuit, the case centers on whether de With is now using Lux’s proprietary secrets to build the very features Apple tried to buy.
What it Means for the iPhone 18 Pro
The court documents confirm that Apple is currently rebuilding the iOS Camera app “from scratch” for the iPhone 18 Pro (expected late 2026). Key features Apple was targeting from the Lux portfolio include:
- Advanced Manual Controls: Shutter speed, ISO, and white balance dials inspired by professional DSLRs.
- Focus Tools: High-fidelity focus peaking and a “Focus Loupe” for macro photography.
- Pro Video Pipelines: Integrating Kino’s LUT-based color grading directly into the iPhone’s video recording workflow.
“Apple explicitly told the startup that its intellectual property was the key factor in the valuation,” the report noted. “It appears Apple decided to obtain this IP one way or another—either by buying the company or hiring the mind that designed it.”
