Apple Studio Display Runs Full Version of iOS 15.4

[MacRumors]

The Apple Studio Display runs a full version of iOS 15.4, Daring Fireball's John Gruber has highlighted.

In System Information, under "Graphics/Displays," the Studio Display's software can be seen, showing that it runs "Version 15.4 (Build 19E241)." This is the exact same build number as iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, indicating that the Studio Display runs the full version of iOS.

The Studio Display contains an A13 Bionic chip, the same chip from the iPhone 11 lineup, 2020 iPhone SE, ninth-generation iPad, to support its 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage and six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. While the presence of the A13 chip indicated that the display likely ran a variant of existing Apple software, in much the same way that the HomePod and HomePod mini run a version of tvOS, the device's exact software was unknown until now.

The Studio Display's firmware in System Information (via Daring Fireball).​

Yesterday, the first reviews of the Studio Display were released, with a common complaint among reviewers being that the built-in webcam's image quality ranges anywhere from an "old BlackBerry" to downright "awful" in their hands-on testing. In his detailed review of the Studio Display, Gruber said that the camera is "crushingly disappointing" and "astonishingly poor," with the image being "terrible" and Center Stage being "glitchy."

Even without harsh sunlight, all images from the Studio Display camera, in all lighting conditions, are grainy, lacking in contrast, and make skin tones look cadaveric.

[...]

... How can the image quality from the camera on a $1600 display be so much worse — laughably worse — than the image quality from a $600 iPad Air that uses the exact same camera hardware? Let alone comparing it to the front-facing camera on the $430 iPhone SE, which makes the Studio Display camera look like a toy. And we waited years for Apple to ship this display. Again, it's usable. All sorts of people use way worse cameras for videoconferencing every day. But this image quality is embarrassing from a company that considers itself the leading camera company in the world... I expected to be impressed by the Studio Display camera. Instead, I'm baffled. I don't understand how this shipped.

It gets even worse. The Center Stage feature on the Studio Display should be called Off-Center Stage. Move around a bit or turn your head to the side and you get framed off to the side, even though you're sitting directly in front of the center of the display. It takes up to 5 seconds for Center Stage to catch up and re-center you in the frame, which it does slowly and sheepishly, as though it's embarrassed...

Apple told reviewers that it "discovered an issue where the system is not behaving as expected" and will be "making improvements in a software update." Apple did not specify what "improvements" will be made, and no timeframe was provided for the update. Gruber concluded:

The Off-Center Stage thing is obviously a bug, and I expect that to be fixed. The overall image quality, I'll bet, can and will be improved to some degree via software updates, but I'll be surprised — happily surprised, but surprised — if a software update can turn this camera into something Apple should be proud of. Maybe, though, given that it's the same camera hardware as the front-facing camera on the new iPad Air and last year's iPad Pros. But I'm not holding my breath.

Gruber later posted an update saying he has heard that the "the image quality problems really are a software problem, not hardware — a bug introduced at the last minute — and a future software update might not merely somewhat improve image quality, but raise it to a level commensurate with the iPad models equipped with the same camera."

With the confirmation that the Studio Display runs iOS, Apple's planned update to improve the quality of the webcam will presumably come as part of an iOS update. Other information about how software updates for the Studio Display work is as yet unknown.

Article Link: Apple Studio Display Runs Full Version of iOS 15.4

 

[UltimateSyn]

I wish it ran full-fledged tvOS so you could use it when a Mac isn't connected - or supported wireless Sidecar / Universal Control. There are a few really cool features that Apple's team was uniquely positioned to implement, with their software and the A13, yet passed up on.

 

[n0va]

excited for the jailbreak

 

[Nicole1980]

They'll likely fix it, but I agree with Gruber: how it's so bad right out of the box is bizarre. Was a 2trillion dollar company so rushed they couldnt have dealt with it.

 

[Abazigal]

Imagine if it came with an M1 chip instead and people could side load macOS on it. That's your 27" iMac right there. ?

 

[AmazeSE]

Apple gave iOS to a display but they can't give a proper OS for the iPads to make it more like a computer.

 

[Danfango]

Interesting. Mine is showing an earlier firmware revision.

Display Firmware Version: Version 15.3 (Build 19D8050)

Wonder how you update it. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[bsbeamer]

While exciting for some features, one could assume this could become difficult to update in the future. Especially if ever used with something other than a Mac-based system. Guessing a 5-7 year update life at most? Security vulnerability patches probably done after that.

I could care less about camera on this monitor. If you REALLY care about quality, get a better camera. Apple opening their center stage system to include other web cameras connected to the machine would do more to please the crowd that cares about image quality.

 

[neuropsychguy]

The webcam quality will be fixed. It's clearly a software/firmware issue rather than a hardware issue.

That this runs a full iOS version means Apple could enable a lot of features, if there are enough uses for those features.

Reviewers are by and large impressed with the screen quality and just about everything else with the display (other than the stand situation -- if I was going to buy one of these monitors [I won't], I'd opt for the VESA mount and get my own stand, which is what I've done with other monitors). But controversy sells clicks and ad revenue, eh?

 

[siddavis]

Not sure what to think of this. My initial reaction is that it will shorten the life of the display. Bad take?

 

[allenvanhellen]

Sounds like a recipe for bloat.

 

[wilhelmer]

I got mine today, and iOS 15.3 was installed. Version 15.4 was available as a software update in macOS.

I guess the review units were updated to 15.4, but the retail units were not.

 

[azentropy]

Shame it doesn't run tvOS. Would have put it in a whole other category if it could also function as a standalone AppleTV too.

 

[TIMO_737]

Wait what ? some people actually received their display ? Thought there were like 5 delivered to youtubers and that's it. Stock is just pathetic

 

[Danfango]

I got mine from Apple Store 2 hours ago. Bought it this morning at 7AM. They had some reserved stock for retail operations so I cancelled my original order, due May 11th.

 

[Spock]

I wish it ran full-fledged tvOS so you could use it when a Mac isn't connected - or supported wireless Sidecar / Universal Control. There are a few really cool features that Apple's team was uniquely positioned to implement, with their software and the A13, yet passed up on.

I was really expecting this feature when the rumors were going around. Seems like a lot of extra hardware to power some speakers and a camera.

 

[arnoz]

Interesting. Mine is showing an earlier firmware revision.

Display Firmware Version: Version 15.3 (Build 19D8050)

Wonder how you update it. Anyone got any ideas?

Mine also had 15.3, and you can update via Software Update in preferences (requires a reboot…)

 

[prime17569]

Considering that the Studio Display appears to be a 9th-generation iPad grafted onto a 27" screen, it is conceivable that future Apple displays could add Apple Pencil support using the same technology that powers Apple Pencil support in Sidecar. The sides of the Studio Display are flat and would be the perfect spot to attach a second-generation Apple Pencil.

I wonder how hard it would be to get iOS/iPadOS apps running on the Studio Display. It may not include UIKit or other UI frameworks in its software, though. We'd only be able to tell once Apple releases an IPSW for it with a future iOS update.

 

[Abazigal]

Not sure what to think of this. My initial reaction is that it will shorten the life of the display. Bad take?

My 3rd gen Apple TV continues to support airplay mirroring despite not having received a software update in ages. I think that the monitor will continue to work with Macs for as long as it can switch on, and I don't think Apple will go so far as to intentionally brick or cripple it past a certain period of time.

 

[Time Less]

Wait what ? some people actually received their display ? Thought there were like 5 delivered to youtubers and that's it. Stock is just pathetic

Order for pick up? That’s what I did this morning when shipping was pushed weeks out. Plenty of stock around the Bay Area.

 

[syklee26]

If it can run widgets as screen saver when Mac is not on…

 

[uller6]

Wait, so which is it: is the iMac M1 or the Studio Display just a big iPad? Which one is more iPad? Are they more iPad than iPad?

 

[RammyXX]

There are a few really cool features that Apple's team was uniquely positioned to implement (...) yet passed up on.

This is exactly the sentiment I have with Apple products these days. So much missed opportunity, or deliberate omissions of features to push services (looking at you Home Pod, unable to play my iTunes library because of Apple Music).

 

[TIMO_737]

Order for pick up? That’s what I did this morning when shipping was pushed weeks out. Plenty of stock around the Bay Area.

Unfortunately here in Europe (Germany and France) this option gives an error. Further more in the country I live (Belgium) this is not even an option... So my only option is to go to the Apple Store in Brussels to find out there is no stock...

 

[BootsWalking]

Good, maybe it'll have a zero-day iOS exploit that allows displayed content to be sent over the internet through an attached Mac so hackers can see our bank account info on an open webpage. ?