Studio Display Update Issue Fixed as Apple Addresses Code-Signing Issue

[chucker23n1]

This isn't actually how Apple work, teams aren't really siloed.

They are.

See also: why is the 2021 iMac a complete redesign but doesn't feature Center Stage, something introduced at the very same keynote?

Answer: because the iMac and iPad Pro teams were too silo'd for that to be practical.

More rigorous software testing would not create this problem.

"If people made fewer mistakes, fewer problems would occur!"

Weren’t there security vulnerabilities in 15.4, prompting the update to 15.4.1?

Yes, but I imagine the impact is rather small on a display that has no networking (neither wired nor wireless). Maybe if you connect a USB stick to it? But even those are mostly just pass-through to the host.

 

[ruka.snow]

More rigorous software testing would not create this problem.

Nope. This is a distribution issue not a development and testing issue. I can have a fully tested application out for you to install but if my certificate expires you won’t be able to install it.

 

[izzle22]

Yeah, that's what I would've expected, but I read about people who worried they needed to bring it to a store, and… why? Just try the update again a week later?

Yes. Exactly what I did when faced with the issue. I decided not to even call Apple and wait it out. As much as it bothered me to not be able to update the firmware I would much rather keep my new display at home and wait it out. The display was working fine as it was. The potential to have to leave it with Apple and be without it for days was not an option for me.

All the posts from everyone who had this issue led me and others to realize this was a server problem on Apples end and would be resolved eventually. As it was.

 

[xyz369]

Nope. This is a distribution issue not a development and testing issue. I can have a fully tested application out for you to install but if my certificate expires you won’t be able to install it.

Any possible issue should be tested and prevented before the device is released for sale.
The problem is that instead of developing a new software for the monitor, they put an ios in there and made another program clone to earn more money for shooting new apple tv movies.

 

[chucker23n1]

Any possible issue should be tested and prevented before the device is released for sale.

They were.

In fact, the devices run just fine. However, an update was released and then erroneously blacklisted. You can still use the entire thing just fine by simply not updating. Plus, the issue was resolved soon after, on a Sunday.

The problem is that instead of developing a new software for the monitor, they put an ios in there and made another program clone to earn more money for shooting new apple tv movies.

No, the problem is they made a server-side mistake.

 

[eRondeau]

Dunno... my just-out-of-the-box Studio Display's 15.4 (19E241) update failed to install on March 28th. I got to enjoy it for about 5 minutes while it downloaded the firmware and went dark attempting to install. Incredibly frustrating, and apparently unrelated to the signing issue. As per the Apple website I unplugged both ends of the TB cable, plugged it back in, and waited about an hour -- and the installer tried again and was successful. It's been fine ever since.

 

[xyz369]

They were.

In fact, the devices run just fine. However, an update was released and then erroneously blacklisted. You can still use the entire thing just fine by simply not updating. Plus, the issue was resolved soon after, on a Sunday.



No, the problem is they made a server-side mistake.

I still believe that the problem is not completely solved.
In the ios, which they put in the monitor, there are still a lot of different frameworks that are needed in constant mentenance. One day, the monitor may simply not turn on due to an error on the server on which it becomes dependent due to constant updates.

 

[uptownnyc]

Can't people just buy a new Studio Display when this happens?

 

[EugW]

Wow! Release 15.4 update, and then stop supporting 15.4 updates shortly afterwards, before some people have even received their orders in-hand. (A lot of the Mac Studios, the computers that many of these monitors will be paired with, are still scheduled for May deliveries.) That's pretty lame, Apple. Really lame.

StudioOS coming soon?

That might actually make sense. Or maybe the departments should actually be allowed and encouraged to communicate more with each other...

 

[chucker23n1]

I still believe that the problem is not completely solved.
In the ios, which they put in the monitor, there are still a lot of different frameworks that are needed in constant mentenance. One day, the monitor may simply not turn on due to an error on the server on which it becomes dependent due to constant updates.

Maybe. The thing isn't connected to any network, nor can you physically attach something (it acts as a USB hub, but merely forwards that to the target host), so I'm not sure updates are needed.

 

[EugW]

Maybe. The thing isn't connected to any network, nor can you physically attach something (it acts as a USB hub, but merely forwards that to the target host), so I'm not sure updates are needed.

The update improves stability, and provides Boot Camp compatibility. I'd say those are pretty important.

Plus, the camera update is likely still coming. Or at least we hope so, since this update doesn't improve the camera according to users.

 

[chucker23n1]

The update improves stability, and provides Boot Camp compatibility. I'd say those are pretty important.

The question is: whenever Apple stops doing further updates (in five years? Eight years?), will there still be major issues?

Plus, the camera update is likely still coming. Or at least we hope so, since this update doesn't improve the camera according to users.

Yep.

 

[DaPizzaMan]

It has an A13, so it's far easier to port over iOS rather than write a whole new 'displayOS'. I'm guessing Centre Stage mandated iOS being used.

Now it imagine it ran iPadOS, and it was a touch screen...

 

[EugW]

The question is: whenever Apple stops doing further updates (in five years? Eight years?), will there still be major issues?

We don't know yet, but I will remind people that Apple removes support for old Apple monitors in macOS over time, which can lead to compatibility issues with newer hardware and OSes. This is not immediate, but happens years later. This is true with old monitors that didn't run iOS, so I wouldn't be surprised if the compatibility issues happen to be even more common with monitors that do run iOS.

I think an important consideration is Center Stage. Don't expect Center Stage or even the camera in general to actually work 5 years after the monitor is discontinued. It might work, but don't expect it. If it works, then that's a bonus.

 

[chucker23n1]

We don't know yet, but I will say that Apple removes support for old monitors in the OS over time, which can lead to compatibility issues with newer hardware and OSes. This is not immediate, but happens years later. This is true with old monitors that didn't run iOS, so I wouldn't be surprised if the compatibility issues happened to be more common with monitors that do run iOS.

I think an important consideration is Center Stage. Don't expect Center Stage or even the camera in general to actually work 5 years after the monitor is discontinued. It might work, but don't expect it. If it works, then that's a bonus.

Right, but I think that would've been true no matter what. If anything, using iOS — which they maintain anyway — makes it more likely that it'll be supported for a lengthy amount of time.

Imagine if they had given the monitor its own implementation of Center Stage instead…

 

[EugW]

Right, but I think that would've been true no matter what. If anything, using iOS — which they maintain anyway — makes it more likely that it'll be supported for a lengthy amount of time.

Imagine if they had given the monitor its own implementation of Center Stage instead…

That sounds optimistic. Great if true but I wouldn’t necessarily count on it.

In general, the dumber the monitor the more chance it will continue to work.

 

[chucker23n1]

That sounds optimistic. Great if true but I wouldn’t necessarily count on it.

In general, the dumber the monitor the more chance it will continue to work.

Oh, no question. A DVI monitor from like 2002 will still work fine today with a simple adapter. (HDMI still uses the same signaling, and USB-C can typically output it as well.)

A simple webcam from 2002, too. A webcam with Center Stage, well, that's tricky. If we're unlucky, it'll only work in its rather unfortunate default crop.

(I'm not in the market for this monitor for a whole number of reasons; I just don't think "they made a mistake with a firmware update on Friday, and fixed it on Sunday" is that big a deal.)

 

[rgwebb]

I think the center stage camera issue is going to involve a bit more work than I originally thought. The crux of the problem seems to be that camera applies an aggressive crop when only one person is sitting "table-length" away from the camera. They're going to need to make some one-off algorithm adjustments for the desktop camera use-case.

 

[ct2k7]

Thank god MacRumors forum users immediately went completely ape **** when this issue was first reported on, lamenting over how nothing Apple makes ever works anymore, how Steve Jobs would turn in his grave if he were to witness Apple's current state, and how the twenty five Apple products they reluctantly already own are all terrible. That was really important.

It's is embarrassing that the first update didn't work. What it does question is the need for the monitor to be a computer itself.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

I still think it’s weird that a monitor runs iOS.
It needs the whole iOS just to control the webcam and speakers?

I’m guessing it’s running a gimped version like the HomePod. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was running something that the rumored future HomePod with a screen will also use.

 

[xyz369]

The update improves stability, and provides Boot Camp compatibility. I'd say those are pretty important.

Plus, the camera update is likely still coming. Or at least we hope so, since this update doesn't improve the camera according to users.

Oh, no question. A DVI monitor from like 2002 will still work fine today with a simple adapter. (HDMI still uses the same signaling, and USB-C can typically output it as well.)

A simple webcam from 2002, too. A webcam with Center Stage, well, that's tricky. If we're unlucky, it'll only work in its rather unfortunate default crop.

(I'm not in the market for this monitor for a whole number of reasons; I just don't think "they made a mistake with a firmware update on Friday, and fixed it on Sunday" is that big a deal.)

I'm sure if someone had put Windows xp in the DVI monitor in 2002 it would not be usable right now.
An operating program like iOS is a complex system of a bunch of programs that have their vulnerabilities and they depend on each other. Over time, this will become increasingly difficult to keep in stable operation.

 

[BobSc]

So is the webcamera better and almost on par with the 14/16" MBP ? or is this firmware update useless?

Do you really think Apple issues firmware updates that don't do anything?

 

[BobSc]

Question: How could anyone let slip an unsigned version of an update in this day and age?

Obviously the Studio Display updating mechanism was completely forgotten by Apple so soon after release.

1. Humans make mistake. That includes Apple and everyone participating in this thread.

2. Yup. If you mention "Studio Display" to any Apple employee or even Tim, they will have NO idea what you're talking about.

 

[now i see it]

Man - these guys are sloppy.

 

[BobSc]

More rigorous software testing would not create this problem.

I hear that Apple is working very hard to be absolutely perfect as so many in this thread are/want to be.