Owners of the new Apple Studio Display have been reporting problems updating the screen to the current firmware version 15.4 since the weekend. This can fail with an error message that recommends bringing the device to Apple Service. In the meantime, the difficulties seem to have been resolved by a server change.
A display also needs an update
Apple’s new 27-inch screen works with a slimmed-down version of iOS that lacks a user interface (headless operation). Most displays may have shipped from the factory with firmware 15.4, which corresponds to iOS 15.4, but some devices still contain an older version of the operating system. An update is then offered to users in the macOS system settings.
However, this went wrong until at least Sunday evening. The likely reason: Apple stopped signing iOS 15.4 last week for security reasons, because iOS 15.4.1 is now available, which fixes zero-day vulnerabilities. This also appears to have removed the Studio Display firmware 15.4 signature, although version 15.4 remained current for this device. After user complaints in the Apple support forums, among others, the company recognized the error and signed the update again.
Waiting for a camera fix
However, the Studio Display firmware 15.4 does not fix the surprisingly poor recording quality of the display’s integrated 12-megapixel front camera. Apple had announced an update for this, but had not commented at the time of publication. A “problem was discovered in which the system is not behaving as expected,” the group said in mid-March. For this reason, “improvements in a software update” will be made.
Interesting questions arise in connection with the removed signature: Since the Studio Display runs on a “real” iOS – the device contains an A13 SoC and 64 GB of flash memory – it is also potentially vulnerable to security vulnerabilities. In the absence of iOS 15.4.1, the zero-day problems fixed by Apple could still be active. However, it remains unclear whether there is a way to hack the Studio Display from the outside – and what the consequences could potentially be.
(bsc)
