Apple to Developers: Make Apps Retina Display Compatible or Don't Make Them At All

[Anthony Bouchard]

Apple: we want retina-sized apps now.

I cannot tell you the countless times I have been disappointed after purchasing an application only to find that it was made for the standard resolution display. I personally wish that app developers would take the hint that Apple wants us to move to retina displays - since standard display resolution applications appear pixelated on the retina display. There are still, even in current times, countless applications in the App Store that only support the standard display devices. The retina display resolution comes in at 640 pixels wide by 960 pixels high where the standard display resolution is exactly half of that coming in at 320 pixels wide by 480 pixels high. If you were wondering what I meant by applications appearing pixelated, the image above does a pretty good job describing the issue here.

Apple is finally taking a stand against application developers to make their applications retina-display compatible or else they should not make any applications at all. The retina display shipped with the iPhone 4 in the year 2010 and has continued with the iPhone 4S and even made its way to the iPod touch 4G. We also have heard rumor that Apple expects to put a retina display in the next generation iPad and also in next generation Macs. That being said, standard display devices such as the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3G and older are phased out of Apple's concern. They're too busy thinking about the present and the future - high resolution displays.

The message comes from Apple themselves who sent an email to all of the application developers who are enrolled in their development program that basically states that if the application screenshot does not meet the retina display requirement, then it will not be accepted into the App Store. The email is as follows:

When you create or update your apps in iTunes Connect, you must upload screenshots that are high-resolution. We require your screenshots as high-resolution images so that your app is optimized for the Retina display.

The requirements for high-resolution images are 960 x 640, 960 x 600, 640 x 960, or 640 x 920 pixels. Images must be at least 72 dpi, in the RGB color space, and the file must be .jpeg, .jpg, .tif, .tiff, or .png. You can update your screenshot files at any time in iTunes Connect.

This email is great news for any users of the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, or iPod touch 4G because now you should be guaranteed that all future applications you purchase will support the retina display. What is to become of all of the applications that are still sitting in the App Store with no retina display support? Probably nothing, but maybe Apple will get feisty with the developers and require that they update them or else they will be removed from the App Store. At this point it's too early to tell, but we are happy to hear that Apple is finally doing something to increase the quality of their devices. Applications are certainly one of the best parts of owning an iPhone and appearance is one of the best parts of using applications.

Sources: MacRumors

[AUZambo]

Good move. Retina display is old enough where Apple shouldn't have to make such demands.

[Twimfy]

Hmm I never got such an email. That said I never make anything without support for Retina. Kinda embarrassing not to.

[Jahooba]

This is great news - it's time that everyone started switching over.

[jjustme]

It wouldn't appear anymore pixellated on a retina display than a non retina display.
The pixels per inch on screen would be the same if they're both projecting 320x480 on 3.5 inch screens.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Anthony Bouchard]

It wouldn't appear anymore pixellated on a retina display than a non retina display.
The pixels per inch on screen would be the same if they're both projecting 320x480 on 3.5 inch screens.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, wrong. The iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPod touch 4G have 640x960. So standard apps appear pixelated when the pixels are a resolution 50% of that because the pixels are 2x larger.

[cockyjeremy]

Good move. Retina display is old enough where Apple shouldn't have to make such demands.

True, but apparently a lot of developers are lazy, which is stupid because it costs them money.

[BenderRodriguez]

True, but apparently a lot of developers are lazy, which is stupid because it costs them money.

U mean it costs money to open up there images in say photoshop, resize the images save it then upload it?
So somehow 5-10 min is going to cost them money?

[liverjello]

U mean it costs money to open up there images in say photoshop, resize the images save it then upload it?
So somehow 5-10 min is going to cost them money?

I think he means that NOT spending the 5-10 mins is what's going to cost them.

[mortopher]

Yeah, wrong. The iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPod touch 4G have 640x960. So standard apps appear pixelated when the pixels are a resolution 50% of that because the pixels are 2x larger.

The guy is correct, looking at a SD app on a iPhone 4S looks the same as it does if you view it on a 3GS. At least that's what I think he was trying to say.

Now having said that, those apps look like crap on both screens and try most certainly need to be updated.

[teej1410]

I hope they don't pull some of the good apps like Uniwar. That game hasn't been updated in forever but it's still a fun app. I wish Cydia had a little notifier to tell you if a theme is HD or not. I've downloaded a couple that are non-retina and retina even though the description doesn't say.

[AUZambo]

I hope they don't pull some of the good apps like Uniwar. That game hasn't been updated in forever but it's still a fun app. I wish Cydia had a little notifier to tell you if a theme is HD or not. I've downloaded a couple that are non-retina and retina even though the description doesn't say.

I think it's more like they won't approve new apps unless they offer support for retina display.

[Mrteacup]

It wouldn't appear anymore pixellated on a retina display than a non retina display.
The pixels per inch on screen would be the same if they're both projecting 320x480 on 3.5 inch screens.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

The icon or app near any retina display even the status bar makes it look pathetic and super pixelly. A retina icon near a non retina icon is like looking at a black and white tv compared to a colored tv

[umma_urban]

anyone knows what's the file name for retina display on the roots file for theming?
i wanna changes the mirror for retina display in my theme, thanks b4...

[Zokunei]

The icon or app near any retina display even the status bar makes it look pathetic and super pixelly. A retina icon near a non retina icon is like looking at a black and white tv compared to a colored tv

Or an HD tv next to an SD tv. Lol

[Anthony Bouchard]

The guy is correct, looking at a SD app on a iPhone 4S looks the same as it does if you view it on a 3GS. At least that's what I think he was trying to say.

Now having said that, those apps look like crap on both screens and try most certainly need to be updated.

They don't look the same. If you look at an SD application on the retina display, it will look as pixelated as the iPhone 3GS image in the article above. It's a resolution issue and a disgrace to appearance.

If they looked the same, Apple wouldn't be pushing them to move to retina display because there would be no reason to enforce it.

[mortopher]

If you look at an SD application on the retina display, it will look as pixelated as the iPhone 3GS image in the article above. It's a resolution issue and a disgrace to appearance.

How does this in any way disagree with what I said?

[ramicio]

Actually, since this is an image with two dimensions and has area, the retina display has four times the resolution of the old display, and the old display would have 1/4 the resolution of the retina display.

[BenderRodriguez]

What are y'all talking about?
There is no difference in the screen resolution between the 3GS and the 4S


Ps sarcasm
Lol so much banter

[Anthony Bouchard]

How does this in any way disagree with what I said?

"looking at a SD app on a iPhone 4S looks the same as it does if you view it on a 3GS"

This is wrong. They do not look the same - one is pixelated and one isn't. So that is how I disagree.