Lawsuit Reveals Apple's Failed Halide Acquisition Talks

Apple's efforts to enhance the camera software on its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models came into sharper focus following a lawsuit that revealed the company held acquisition talks with Lux Optics, the developer behind the popular third-party Halide camera app, in the summer of 2025.

The discussions, which took place over several months, centered on Apple's interest in integrating advanced photography features from Halide directly into its default Camera app. Lux Optics, founded by Ben Sandofsky and Sebastiaan de With, also produces apps like Kino for video recording, Spectre for long-exposure photography, and Orion for using iPads as external monitors. According to people familiar with the matter, Apple viewed the startup's intellectual property as key to upgrading its built-in camera tools, which currently offer mostly basic controls such as automatic exposure and focus. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to introduce hardware advancements, including variable aperture, bringing it closer to professional-grade capabilities. Acquiring Lux Optics could have accelerated software improvements like manual focus, precise exposure adjustments, RAW image capture, and enhanced video options,...