Summary On Mac Studio systems (no built-in camera), macOS does not initialize camera services after a normal reboot if no physical camera is present. As a result, Continuity Camera does not appear anywhere in the system.
Observed behavior
System Information → Camera reports “No video capture devices were found.”
Continuity Camera (iPhone) is completely absent from camera lists.
Plugging in any USB UVC webcam immediately initializes camera services and causes both the USB camera and the iPhone (Continuity Camera) to appear.
The USB camera can then be unplugged and Continuity Camera continues working until the next reboot.
Reproduction steps
Use a Mac Studio (no built-in camera) on recent macOS.
Ensure no USB webcam or external camera is connected.
Reboot the Mac normally.
After login, open System Information → Camera.
Expected Camera services should initialize even when no physical camera is present, allowing Continuity Camera to be available as the primary camera.
Actual No camera devices are present unless a physical USB camera is connected at least once after boot.
This reproduces 100% of the time on Mac Studio and appears to be a camera service bootstrap issue where Continuity Camera cannot be the first camera device. Issue has been filed via Feedback Assistant.
