Popular smartphone photography app Halide could get a major overhaul next year. Developers Lux Camera shared a teaser of all the features they are looking to bring to Halide Mark III, a laundry list of updates from color adjustments to a new user interface. Topping the list is one-tap color grading, a feature that the company says has been the number one request among users.
The developers – a two-person team – said that a 2025 launch for Halide III felt doable. But, after noting surprises and how new iOS developments affect the process, the team did not commit to a specific launch date.
One-tap color grading sits at the top of the list of upcoming features. The feature will carryover from Kino, the developer’s video app that received Apple’s App of the Year for 2024. The developers said that they want Mark III to come bundled with one-tap film looks. But, the company notes that they also want to allow users to import other looks developed by other Halide users.
The second key feature the developers expect to launch is “a thoughtful and nuanced HDR look.” Earlier this year, the company launched a Process Zero format, a custom RAW file that skips over the iPhone’s artificial intelligence and aims for more natural film-like colors. But, Process Zero doesn’t yet support HDR.
The company says they hope to bring HDR to Process Zero, noting that they aren’t rushing the process because they want a look that’s not as “obnoxious” as some HDR images can be. Support for Adaptive HDR in iOS 18 will help, the company notes.
Finally, Lux Camera notes that Halide Mark III will feature a redesigned user interface. The developers describe the update as “gorgeous in both form and function” but have not yet shared a look at what the new design may look like.
Current subscribers and those who bought a one-time purchase to Mark II will have access to Mark III. Subscribers will get early access to Mark III as the developers finalize testing the update.
Halide is available for iOS and iPadOS from the App Store, with plans starting at $2.99 / £2.49 / AU$4.49 a month, or a $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.99 one-time purchase.
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