## A Visionary Returns: Sebastiaan de With Rejoins Apple’s Design Team Amidst Pivotal Shifts
In a notable development that sent ripples through the tech community, Sebastiaan de With, a co-founder of Lux, the innovative company behind acclaimed iPhone photography and videography applications like Halide and Kino, announced on Wednesday his return to Apple’s esteemed design team. This move marks a significant reunion for de With with the Cupertino giant, coming at a time of considerable transformation within Apple’s design hierarchy.
### A Storied Return to Cupertino
De With’s integration into Apple’s design division isn’t his first foray into the company’s creative halls. He previously contributed his talents to critical projects such as iCloud and Find My, showcasing his deep understanding of Apple’s ecosystem and user experience philosophy. Before co-founding Lux with Ben Sandofsky in 2016, his extensive design portfolio included impactful work for global brands like Sony, T-Mobile, and Mozilla, demonstrating a broad spectrum of influence across various technological landscapes.
“So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products,” de With enthusiastically shared in a post on X, signaling his eagerness to contribute once again to products he deeply admires. His return is poised to inject fresh perspectives into Apple’s ongoing design evolution.
### The Enduring Legacy of Lux and Halide
While de With embarks on his new chapter at Apple, the future of Lux’s celebrated applications remains secure. Ben Sandofsky, Lux’s other co-founder, took to Reddit to assure the user base that the development of Halide, their flagship pro camera app, will continue uninterrupted under the Lux banner.
#### Unveiling Halide Mark III: A Nod to Analog Aesthetics
Further reinforcing Lux’s commitment to innovation, the company recently rolled out a public preview of Halide Mark III, the next iteration of its popular app. This new version places a significant emphasis on “Looks,” an intriguing feature designed to faithfully recreate the distinct aesthetics and characteristics of classic film cameras. This focus promises to offer mobile photographers an even richer, more creatively nuanced experience, preserving the artistic vision that Halide users have come to expect.
### Navigating Apple’s Evolving Design Landscape
De With’s return arrives during a particularly dynamic period for Apple’s design division, which has recently experienced notable shifts in leadership and product reception. The “Liquid Glass” design language introduced with iOS 26, for instance, did not garner the universally glowing reviews the company might have anticipated, indicating a period of design introspection.
#### Recent Departures and Leadership Realignments
Adding to the evolving landscape, Alan Dye, who held the crucial position of Apple’s chief of user interface design, departed for Meta in December. This created a significant vacancy and prompted strategic realignments within the design leadership. Furthermore, just last week, Bloomberg reported a pivotal change wherein John Ternus, widely considered a strong contender to succeed Tim Cook as CEO, assumed oversight of both hardware and software design towards the close of the previous year.
These concurrent developments underscore a transformative era for Apple’s design philosophy and execution. De With’s re-entry into this critical team suggests Apple’s strategic intent to bolster its creative forces with seasoned talent as it navigates these challenges and charts its future design trajectory. His proven track record and intimate familiarity with Apple’s ethos position him as a valuable asset in this unfolding narrative.