Apple Start Requiring All Apps To Support Retina Display - Does It Include Ipad Retina?

Solar2D iOS
#1

We came across this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57575810-37/apple-nudges-developers-to-make-taller-retina-apps/

It appears that Apple is requiring all app submitted after May 1st to support retina display. Does anyone know if that also includes iPad Retina (@4x)? While the post seems to imply 4x is included, we are concerned about the impact on app size.

It’s just not clear from the posting if Apple’s primary concern is to get rid of the black letterboxing on iPhone5 and phase out the really old iPhone3, or if they are going to enforce the new rule literally…

Any thoughts/insights from other members of the community would be great!

#2

I will puke if they start requiring 4x art for everything.  I can’t see that being a feasible requirement right now.  but I’d love to hear other thoughts from other indies

#3

I hope it’s not like you say. I don’t know how they can possibly tell if every asset is ‘retina’ or not, given the range of way we can display things, they would have to really check it by eye. I think as long as it ‘supports’ retina, then it will be fine - i.e the text is rendered with Retina. And obviously they don’t want black bars on iphone 5 - which is easy enough for them to check & fair enough I think.

#4

I will puke if they start requiring 4x art for everything.  I can’t see that being a feasible requirement right now.  but I’d love to hear other thoughts from other indies

#5

The idea is to get the ugly black bars off the shiny new iPhone 5. Apple said nothing about the iPad starting to require Retina apps by default. App development companies are better off making this change for iPhone 5 first and then maybe sometime in the future for iPad.

#6

@jodimello I hope you are right! We really don’t want to bloat our app…

#7

@Coronalabs:

Any DEFINITE info about whether or not Apple will require @4X graphics? May 1st is fast approaching and reproducing all images into 4X is a major pain! (my current 2X graphics already look good on Retina iPad) Please tell us we only need to worry about iphone 5 issue and NOT the @4X!

Thanks.

Mo

#8

Hi Mo,

We don’t know any more than what Apple has told anybody else, which is apparently “not much”. However, I simply can’t imagine that Apple would require @4X graphics on May 1st, as this would be something they’d need to announce months in advance for everybody to prepare for. Obviously, creating @4X graphics for one app can be a big task, and for studios with multiple or dozens of apps in the market, it’s a monumental undertaking.

What I’m guessing… and this is not coming from any “authority” or “inside info from Apple”… is that you’ll just need to ensure that your app runs properly on the iPhone5, meaning that any app with the “black bars” issue will likely be rejected. Of course, the solution to that is simple enough, and has been well-documented and spoken of many times in the forums (final section on “Launch Images”):

http://docs.coronalabs.com/guide/distribution/buildSettings/index.html#launchimage

Anyway, hope this helps. I can’t say “no worries at all!”, because nobody outside of Apple seems to know for sure… but I can say “don’t panic”. Apple is smart enough that they’d have to announce an @4X “requirement” considerably more in advance than this.  :slight_smile:

Brent

#9

As always you give the best support! Thanks Brent, I agree that will be crazy for Apple to do that! My works fine on iPhone 5 so I am going to stop worry about the @4x until we get more details. Thanks a bunch Brent! Mo

#10

I hope it’s not like you say. I don’t know how they can possibly tell if every asset is ‘retina’ or not, given the range of way we can display things, they would have to really check it by eye. I think as long as it ‘supports’ retina, then it will be fine - i.e the text is rendered with Retina. And obviously they don’t want black bars on iphone 5 - which is easy enough for them to check & fair enough I think.

#11

The idea is to get the ugly black bars off the shiny new iPhone 5. Apple said nothing about the iPad starting to require Retina apps by default. App development companies are better off making this change for iPhone 5 first and then maybe sometime in the future for iPad.

#12

@jodimello I hope you are right! We really don’t want to bloat our app…

#13

@Coronalabs:

Any DEFINITE info about whether or not Apple will require @4X graphics? May 1st is fast approaching and reproducing all images into 4X is a major pain! (my current 2X graphics already look good on Retina iPad) Please tell us we only need to worry about iphone 5 issue and NOT the @4X!

Thanks.

Mo

#14

Hi Mo,

We don’t know any more than what Apple has told anybody else, which is apparently “not much”. However, I simply can’t imagine that Apple would require @4X graphics on May 1st, as this would be something they’d need to announce months in advance for everybody to prepare for. Obviously, creating @4X graphics for one app can be a big task, and for studios with multiple or dozens of apps in the market, it’s a monumental undertaking.

What I’m guessing… and this is not coming from any “authority” or “inside info from Apple”… is that you’ll just need to ensure that your app runs properly on the iPhone5, meaning that any app with the “black bars” issue will likely be rejected. Of course, the solution to that is simple enough, and has been well-documented and spoken of many times in the forums (final section on “Launch Images”):

http://docs.coronalabs.com/guide/distribution/buildSettings/index.html#launchimage

Anyway, hope this helps. I can’t say “no worries at all!”, because nobody outside of Apple seems to know for sure… but I can say “don’t panic”. Apple is smart enough that they’d have to announce an @4X “requirement” considerably more in advance than this.  :slight_smile:

Brent

#15

As always you give the best support! Thanks Brent, I agree that will be crazy for Apple to do that! My works fine on iPhone 5 so I am going to stop worry about the @4x until we get more details. Thanks a bunch Brent! Mo

#16

I would be shocked if they required @4x images at this point - thanks for the tips Brent - one question I have - as long as we get rid of the black bars, do we also have to provide @2x images?

#17

Hi @beansprites,

Ultimately, that’s up to Apple to decide. :slight_smile: I would say, if it’s obvious that you’re using the same assets between @1x and @2x, and the quality suffers on the higher-res devices, Apple will probably not be happy and might reject the app. On the other hand, it depends on the art. Artistic “quality” is a subjective term, i.e. where some games are designed intentionally to look like classic 8-bit games, and that look can be quite appealing if done properly.

Obviously I’m not on Apple’s app review staff, but I’d say, black bars would be an immediate rejection, no exceptions made. Same for Amazon or B&N if you go that route.

Brent

#18

I would be shocked if they required @4x images at this point - thanks for the tips Brent - one question I have - as long as we get rid of the black bars, do we also have to provide @2x images?

#19

Hi @beansprites,

Ultimately, that’s up to Apple to decide. :slight_smile: I would say, if it’s obvious that you’re using the same assets between @1x and @2x, and the quality suffers on the higher-res devices, Apple will probably not be happy and might reject the app. On the other hand, it depends on the art. Artistic “quality” is a subjective term, i.e. where some games are designed intentionally to look like classic 8-bit games, and that look can be quite appealing if done properly.

Obviously I’m not on Apple’s app review staff, but I’d say, black bars would be an immediate rejection, no exceptions made. Same for Amazon or B&N if you go that route.

Brent