An iPad Live Production App That Wants to Replace the Rack
Mavis Studio is a touch-first iPad live production app that combines multi‑camera switching, graphics, media playback, audio mixing, recording, and professional video streaming into a single portable workflow aimed at replacing traditional fixed broadcast systems for a wide range of AV users. At InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas, Mavis announced a substantial update to this iPad-based live production environment, and the intent is clear: make professional AV production more portable, networked and accessible. That matters at a show which drew 28,132 verified attendees and 807 exhibitors, because this is a direct challenge to the racks of hardware switchers and control surfaces that still dominate the floor. Instead of more gear, Mavis is betting that a single tablet and a smart app can handle serious live work for AV teams, venues, educators, houses of worship and content creators who want simpler, mobile rigs.
NDI Preview and PTZ Camera Control: The Network Becomes the Switcher
The most telling part of the update is the new NDI Preview feature, which gives users five minutes of full NDI access — cameras, tally, and PTZ control — before they pay. This is not a demo gimmick; it is a practical way to see whether your IP video network can sustain an iPad live production app before committing budget and redesigning workflows. In an era where NDI HX3 and other formats promise flexible, network-based video monitoring and integration, the weak link is often the network design, not the software. With Preview, those weaknesses show up during testing, not in front of an audience. On top of that, Mavis adds PTZ camera control for supported NDI cameras, letting operators pan, tilt, zoom and focus remotely from the iPad via a smarter control wheel that switches between PTZ, media transport and 3D layout modes. This turns networked cameras from static angles into controllable, agile tools in portable AV production, without a dedicated hardware controller.
USB Audio and 3D Layouts: Closing the Loop on Professional Video Streaming
Video without solid audio and graphics is not professional video streaming; Mavis seems to understand that. The update adds support for USB audio interfaces, allowing users to bring external mixers and microphones straight into the app with up to four channels routed to its integrated audio desk, plus headphone monitoring on the same interface. This feels targeted at the widespread class of compact USB interfaces that AV teams already own, and it tightens the case for an iPad at the center of the rig instead of a laptop and separate mixer. On the visual side, new 3D layouts let operators angle and position layers in space for events, interviews, and branded content, achieving more dynamic compositions without a separate graphics system. Because the adaptive control wheel can switch into 3D layout adjustment, a single operator can manage movement and depth in on‑screen elements from the same surface used to switch cameras and ride audio.
Pricing, Access, and the Road Away from Fixed Systems
Mavis Studio itself is a free download from the App Store, but the serious features come with subscription tiers that explicitly tie value to watermark removal and NDI activation. Removing the watermark costs USD 24.99 (approx. RM117) per month or USD 79.99 (approx. RM374) per year, while removing the watermark and activating NDI costs USD 39.99 (approx. RM187) per month or USD 129.99 (approx. RM603) per year. Those figures position Studio not as a toy, but as a budget‑conscious alternative to hardware switchers for AV teams and integrators. Given the app only launched at NAB a few months ago, this fast update cadence — building on a history that includes the earlier iPhone camera app, Frame.io camera‑to‑cloud, Atomos Ninja Phone support, NDI HX3 streaming, and Film Kit — shows a developer trying to move users from camera apps to entire portable AV production workflows. As CEO Patrick Holroyd put it, the goal is to "give people the tools of a professional live production system in a format that is far more portable and accessible."
Is an iPad-Based Workflow Ready for Your Next Show?
The question now is not whether Mavis Studio can mimic traditional gear, but whether teams are willing to trust an iPad as the heart of a show. With multi‑camera switching, NDI preview for network-based video monitoring, PTZ camera control, USB audio, 3D layouts and streaming in one device, Mavis has assembled a credible alternative to fixed systems for portable AV production. For small crews, venues, educators and houses of worship, the appeal is obvious: fewer boxes, more flexibility, and the ability to walk into a room with a tablet and build a production room on the spot. The risk is that IP networks, not the app, become the new failure point — which is why the five‑minute NDI Preview window is a wise design choice. If you are willing to invest in clean NDI infrastructure and accept touch-first control, this update makes the case that the future of professional video streaming might fit in your hand.
