Apple users with 4K monitors are in for some good news, as the next OS X Mavericks update for Macs is reportedly set to bring Retina support to the monitors.
Macs are now reportedly running a "pixel-doubled" resolution, which can scale high resolution for 4K displays in the same manner they do for the Retina displays in Apple's current MacBook Pro line. This marks an important step forward, as Mac users with a 4K monitor were previously able to view content on the high-resolution display, but some elements were not properly scaled.
Things are about to change, according to a new report from 9to5Mac. Apple reportedly rolled out its brand new OS Mavericks 10.9.3 update to developers on Friday, March 7, and the update includes Retina scaling for 4K displays.
With the latest update, Mac users will be able to set up their 4K displays to run the software at an ultra-high resolution of 3,840 pixels, i.e. double the pixel resolution currently available. This should deliver a considerably sharper visual experience.
This latest addition indicates that Apple is keen on boosting its 4K monitor support for desktops, which is not such a big surprise. At this rate, the company may soon be ready to launch its very own external Retina-quality 4K display.
The iconic Retina resolution that brought Apple such high praise first made its debut back in 2010 with the company's iPhone 4. At the time, Appley boasted that the pixels in its ultra-high-resolution display were so small that they are invisible to the naked eye, delivering far superior visuals. The concept really caught on and has since become a must for Apple devices, including subsequent iPhone iterations, as well as the iPad, the second-generation iPad Mini, and the MacBook Pro.
The Apple-centric 9to5Mac claims to have received the tip from user KhaosT, who revealed in a tweet that he set up a Dell monitor to a Mac using multi-stream support (MST), which allows users to connect multiple displays to one computer. According to the tipster, users now have a new option to select Retina resolution for 4K displays, provided they are running at 60Hz. KhaosT even provided a screenshot as proof, as you can see in the image above. The screenshot in question shows that users now have the option to run the display at native 4K resolution, or choose to scale the experience.
Apple has yet to make an official announcement in this regards, but it appears that the upcoming OS X update is ready to bring Retina support to 4K monitors.
