Apple, new beta firmware for Studio Display: improved webcam quality

April 27, 2022

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Apple has released in the past few hours the third beta of iOS and iPadOS 15.5, macOS 12.4, watchOS 8.6 and tvOS 15.5, and with them has also made available the 15.5 beta firmware for its new monitor, the Studio Display. The firmware, available only for users who have also installed the beta of macOS Monterey 12.4, mainly goes to improve the quality of the webcam.

From the very first reviews it was noticed a poor quality of the images captured by the Studio Display’s webcam, one Ultra Wide 12 megapixel with Center Stage function which allows you to always keep the user in the center of the scene during a video call. Overall, the images were washed out, grainy and with noticeable noise.

Apple, called into question, had claimed to have “discovered an issue where the system was not behaving as expected“, promising a fix via a future software update. Fix that came in the beta firmware where Apple claims to have optimized the camerareducing noise and improving contrast and framing.

Looking at the first comparative tests carried out before and after the update, it appears that the images have actually improved overall. In particular, the shot is more centered, with less zoom, and you notice more vivid colors and an improved contrast. There doesn’t seem to be a huge difference in sharpness.

Apple’s Studio Display, we recall, has a 27-inch diagonal, a 5K resolution, a six-speaker audio system with Space Audio, a Thunderbolt 3 port and three USB-C ports. The monitor also integrates an Apple A13 Bionic processor and 64GB of flash memory. Studio Display is on sale with prices starting from 1,799 euros which rise to 2,509 euros by adding the Nanotexture anti-reflective treatment and the adjustable stand.