iOS Resolution Support Discussion

Solar2D iOS
#1

Hey folks,

I’ll admit it, resolution issues leave me spinning. That’s why it’s great to have the modern config.lua. But now Apple has thrown us another problem to solve. Maybe the modern config.lua handles it? But people should probably know what we’re getting into:

  • iOS8 launches Wednesday, September 17.
  • iOS8 is the mandatory OS for the iPhone6 and iPhone6+
  • iOS8 drops support for the iPhone4.

That gives us the following resolutions to consider:

  • 640x1336 (iPhone 5)
  • 768x1024 (iPad 2, Mini)
  • 750x1334 (iPhone 6) 
  • 1080x1920 (iPhone 6+) 
  • 1536x2048 (iPad Retina)

and, by the old resolution multiple method, the following pixel zones:

  • 320x568 @2x (iPhone 5)
  • 375x667 @2x (iPhone 6)
  • 360x640 @3x (iPhone 6+)
  • 384x512 @2x (iPad) @4x (iPad Retina)

Of course, you can also add in 320x480 @2x (iPhone 4) depending on which minimum version you support.

If anything, this is a big notice that everyone should be probably using some form of modern config.lua. This latest product release leaves us with 3-4 distinct aspect ratios to support - 3:2, 16:9, 71:40, 4:3, which will get muddy fast without some sort of scaling on your side.

(On the plus side, 1080p is nearly bog standard on Android…)

#2

When we relooked at the config.lua in the tutorial Modernizing the config.lua http://coronalabs.com/blog/2013/09/10/modernizing-the-config-lua/, we calculate the letterbox screen values based off of some fixed content area.

the iPhone 5 is a 16:9 device as is the iPhone 6.  The iPads  are 1:1.25 devices.  The old iPhone 3 and 4’s were 1:1.5 devices as is the new iPhone 6.

The idea that a 320x480 content area still works.  For the 6 Plus, it would use @3x assets and would still be a 320x570 type device with regards to the config.lua.  The iPhone 6 would be an @2.34x device at 320x480 which should fit nearly precisely.   The iPads stay 360x480 in this scheme.

I need to spend some time thinking about this, in particular on what values to use for the @2x and @3x image sizes. 

The other thing (and I may need to get my hands on the phones to make sure) is that it might be possible that we want the screens to actually not use a constant “content area” but really try and take advantage of the bigger screens.   I see a new tutorial in my future.

Rob

#3

When we relooked at the config.lua in the tutorial Modernizing the config.lua http://coronalabs.com/blog/2013/09/10/modernizing-the-config-lua/, we calculate the letterbox screen values based off of some fixed content area.

the iPhone 5 is a 16:9 device as is the iPhone 6.  The iPads  are 1:1.25 devices.  The old iPhone 3 and 4’s were 1:1.5 devices as is the new iPhone 6.

The idea that a 320x480 content area still works.  For the 6 Plus, it would use @3x assets and would still be a 320x570 type device with regards to the config.lua.  The iPhone 6 would be an @2.34x device at 320x480 which should fit nearly precisely.   The iPads stay 360x480 in this scheme.

I need to spend some time thinking about this, in particular on what values to use for the @2x and @3x image sizes. 

The other thing (and I may need to get my hands on the phones to make sure) is that it might be possible that we want the screens to actually not use a constant “content area” but really try and take advantage of the bigger screens.   I see a new tutorial in my future.

Rob