Apple has hired Sebastiaan de With, the co‑founder of Lux, the company behind beloved iPhone photo and video apps such as Halide, to join its design team.
De With is returning to the tech giant for a second stint. He previously helped build services like iCloud and Find My, and before launching Lux with Ben Sandofsky in 2016, he worked on design projects for Sony, T‑Mobile and Mozilla.
He shared his excitement on social media, saying he can’t wait to work with the best team on his favorite products.
Despite his move, Lux will keep developing Halide. The company just unveiled a preview of Halide Mark III, spotlighting a new “Looks” feature that re‑creates the aesthetic of film cameras.
De With’s arrival comes amid shifts in Apple’s design division. The Liquid Glass UI introduced with iOS 26 didn’t live up to expectations, and Apple’s chief UI designer Alan Dye left for Meta in December. Bloomberg reported that John Ternus, a potential successor to the CEO, has taken over hardware and software design.
These changes underscore Apple’s ongoing efforts to refine its design direction and stay competitive in the smartphone market.
