iPhone 18 Pro Camera May Ship With Professional Software After Apple Tried to Buy Halide Studio
Halide cofounder joined Apple's design team after the company initially explored acquiring the entire studio behind the acclaimed camera app
De With announced his move to Apple in January, but new reporting reveals the hire came after Apple initially expressed interest in buying Lux Optics outright. The acquisition discussions suggest Apple sees significant value in Halide's approach to manual camera controls and professional-grade image processing.
Halide has long been regarded as the gold standard for third-party iPhone camera apps, offering features like manual focus peaking, RAW capture, and depth editing that go well beyond Apple's built-in Camera app. Bringing that expertise in-house could dramatically elevate the native camera experience on the iPhone 18 Pro.
The move follows Apple's pattern of acqui-hiring talent from best-in-class apps rather than building capabilities from scratch. It signals that the company views camera software as a key differentiator for its Pro line, not just hardware improvements like larger sensors and new lens configurations.
Analysis
Why This Matters
Apple's camera has historically prioritised simplicity over control. Integrating Halide-level professional features into the stock camera app could close the gap between iPhone and dedicated cameras for serious photographers.
Background
Halide launched in 2017 and quickly became the most respected third-party camera app on iOS. De With's design philosophy emphasises giving photographers precise control without overwhelming complexity.
Key Perspectives
The Halide community has expressed mixed feelings — excitement about the potential for better native camera tools, but concern about what happens to the standalone app without its cofounder.
What to Watch
Whether the iPhone 18 Pro ships with a meaningfully redesigned Camera app that incorporates Halide-style manual controls and RAW processing.