The co-founder of the popular photography app Halide, Sebastiaan de With, is at the center of a legal battle with his former business partner Ben Sandofsky. According to a lawsuit filed in California Superior Court in Santa Cruz, de With is accused of financial mismanagement and theft of confidential code before he was hired by Apple in January 2026. The case casts a shadow over the successful course of one of the most innovative photography app development companies and highlights the complex relationships between independent developers and technology giants.
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Lux Optics, the company behind Halide, is one of the most successful independent photo app development companies for iOS. Halide, launched in 2017, earned its reputation thanks to advanced controls that emulate DSLR camera functions, offering iPhone users features such as manual exposure, RAW capture and regular controls with haptic feedback. The app stood out in the saturated photo app market thanks to its innovative interface that combined ease of use with advanced capabilities, gaining a cult following among professional and amateur photographers.
According to the lawsuit, Sandofsky accuses de With of illegally using more than $150,000 of Lux company funds for personal expenses. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that de With took Lux Optics source code and confidential material with him when he joined Human Interface Design . These allegations are particularly serious in the technology industry, where intellectual property and code protection are fundamental to doing business.
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Halide wasn’t Lux Optics’ only success. The company also developed Spectre, a long-exposure photography app that won iPhone App of the Year . Later, Lux launched Kino, cementing its position as a leading independent mobile photography studio. The company’s portfolio has managed to combine technical innovation with excellent user experience design, winning multiple Apple Design Awards and topping the App Store charts.
The accusations facing de With are serious and involve both financial mismanagement and a possible breach of confidentiality. According to the lawsuit, de With is said to have been dismissed from Lux Optics in December 2025 for poor financial management, before announcing his joining Apple in January 2026. This timeline is critical to the case, as it calls into question the official version presented publicly regarding de With's departure from Lux.
However, de With’s lawyer strongly denies the allegations. In a statement, he described the effort to involve Apple in the dispute as “designed to create leverage and attract attention.” This tactic is common in corporate disputes, where the involvement of large companies can increase pressure for an out-of-court settlement.
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Technical Challenges and Protection of Intellectual Property
The Halide case highlights the importance of protecting source code and confidential information in technology companies. Independent developers should take proactive measures such as using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), managing access to code through version control systems with limited permissions, and regularly creating code audits. In addition, the use of digital watermarking and code obfuscation techniques can help protect intellectual property. Companies should also have clear policies for managing corporate funds and implement dual authorization for significant financial transactions.
