An iPad live production app that wants to replace the control room
Mavis Studio is an iPad live production app that combines multi-camera switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording, and streaming into a single touch-first interface, aiming to give AV teams and content creators a portable alternative to traditional fixed broadcast systems by adding NDI preview streaming, PTZ camera control, USB audio on iPad, and flexible 3D layouts for complex shows. This latest update, released at InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas, is not a minor tweak. It is a clear statement that mobile broadcast software is ready to handle serious, networked workflows once reserved for racks of hardware and dedicated operators. In a show that drew more than 28,000 verified attendees and over 800 exhibitors, Mavis used the scale of InfoComm to argue that the iPad is no longer a toy in the control chain; it is a credible production brain for AV venues, houses of worship, educators, and systems integrators.
NDI Preview: stress-testing the network before it breaks your show
The most important new feature is NDI Preview mode, and it matters for one simple reason: IP video networks are usually the weakest link in tablet-based production. Mavis Studio already supported NDI input and output so teams could bring networked cameras and sources into an iPad workflow. Now, the app gives users five minutes of full NDI access—including camera sources, tally, and PTZ control—before any subscription kicks in. That window is not about demo glamour; it is about hard truth. You can see whether your wired or wireless network copes with multiple NDI HX3 feeds, whether your cameras behave, and whether latency is acceptable for live switching. According to Mavis CEO Patrick Holroyd, InfoComm is the right place to show how powerful an iPad-based workflow can be for AV teams, and this kind of network-focused preview backs up that claim with practical testing rather than marketing.
PTZ camera control and the control wheel: soft panels for tight spaces
The second major step is PTZ camera control baked directly into the app. For many venues, adding PTZ cameras has meant buying yet another hardware controller; Mavis argues that those days should end. The update adds PTZ control for supported NDI cameras, letting operators pan, tilt, zoom, and focus from the same iPad they use to switch the show. The redesigned control wheel is the clever part: it adapts to whatever source you select, flipping between PTZ moves, media control, and 3D layout adjustment without forcing you into menu maze. Customizable buttons sit beside the wheel for quick actions. In compact AV rooms, pop-up corporate events, or small houses of worship, this soft panel approach makes sense. Space and budget rarely justify a dedicated console; an iPad that can steer PTZ heads and manage cuts is far more portable and far easier to train volunteers on.
USB audio on iPad and 3D layouts: from basic stream to broadcast polish
Video switching is useless if audio is weak, and Mavis seems to understand that. The new version of Mavis Studio supports USB audio interfaces, letting users bring professional microphones and mixers straight into the app with up to four channels routed into its integrated audio desk. The same interface can handle headphone monitoring, so an operator can check sources and program without extra monitoring hardware cluttering the table. Promo material pairs the iPad with a Focusrite Scarlett, a hint that Mavis is targeting the kind of affordable gear AV teams already own rather than exotic studio kit. On the visual side, new 3D layouts let operators angle and position layers in space for interviews, events, and branded content, building richer compositions without a separate graphics system. This is where the app starts to feel less like a streamer’s toy and more like an entry-level broadcast mixer with motion graphics built in.
Who this update is really for—and what it signals
Taken together, these features target a specific slice of the market: AV teams, systems integrators, venues, educators, houses of worship, and solo creators who want professional workflows without fixed broadcast rigs. For them, the promise is clear. With NDI preview streaming, PTZ camera control, USB audio on iPad, and 3D layouts in one app, you can walk into a room with an iPad and a few networked cameras and walk out with a polished show. Pricing reflects that ambition: removing the watermark costs USD 24.99 (approx. RM115) per month or USD 79.99 (approx. RM370) per year, while removing the watermark and activating NDI costs USD 39.99 (approx. RM185) per month or USD 129.99 (approx. RM595) per year. The bigger story, though, is strategic. Mavis Studio turns the iPad into a production room, not just a camera, and this update shows that mobile broadcast software is becoming credible infrastructure in pro AV, not a backup plan.
