Gruber: Apple Studio Display Runs iOS 15.4

Image via Apple

21 MARCH 2022 - We found out something crazy about Apple’s new Studio Display to end the week last week. While we already knew that the 27-inch 5K display was powered an A13 Bionic chip, what we did not know was that the monitor runs iOS - specifically iOS 15.4. That’s the version released just last week by Apple. 

Cult of Mac highlights the findings of Daring Fireball's John Gruber. He’s the one who found out that users can check Studio Display’s firmware, and he’s the one who found out it’s currently running the latest version of iOS or - I guess iPadOS, maybe. The piece says the Display firmware “carries the build number 19E241,” which Gruber points out is “the same build number as iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.”

Which are seriously really totally different operating systems. 

One wants to say that the possibilities for a display running iOS or iPadOS are limitless. They are being limited by Apple, though. Just because it runs iOS doesn’t mean you can use it like an iPod touch. 

An Update on Webcam Worries

Gruber did also comment on the webcam issues with Studio Display. Apple said last week that they would be fixed with a software update. Gruber says he’s heard that as well from a few sources. Quoting the daring fireballer:

Multiple little birdies familiar with the Studio Display, each birdie independent of the others, tell me that the image quality problems really are a software problem… A bug introduced at the last minute.

He goes on to suggest:

A future software update might not merely somewhat improve image quality, but raise it to a level commensurate with the iPad [Pro] models equipped with the same camera…