App icons within the app store are all high definition, yet so many end up looking very poor on the home screen. Even new apps will have low quality home screen icons. It's a tease, perhaps only with a retina display, but as apps are downloading the high definition icon is always displayed, with a blue progress bar overlaying it. Once the download is completed, often enough, a pixelated version of the icon is displayed. What's the deal? Can any app developers shed some light on this?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
App icons.
- Thread starter npdbls
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
maybe the apps you are getting do not really have retina display icons yet. i have quite a few that are still using low res icons, it's a pain, but i have no control over it
Those apps displayed in the app store all show the high resolution icon, even if the developer hasn't made a high resolution icon for their app yet.
When I learn this, I didn't know it was possible for apple to do this.
But yeah it sucks that once you download it and the developer hasn't made a high resolution icon yet, your stuck with it until they update it.
But this got me thinking, why can't apple just use there high resolution icon to be the one displayed in our home screen. I understand it's because it's all on the developer since it's all in the download, but maybe apple can just display it in a high resolution that's not included in the download of the app.
When I learn this, I didn't know it was possible for apple to do this.
But yeah it sucks that once you download it and the developer hasn't made a high resolution icon yet, your stuck with it until they update it.
But this got me thinking, why can't apple just use there high resolution icon to be the one displayed in our home screen. I understand it's because it's all on the developer since it's all in the download, but maybe apple can just display it in a high resolution that's not included in the download of the app.
Developers are requred to submit a 512x512 icon separate of their app package. In the package they include the appropriate sizes for iPod touch, iPhone 4, and iPad.
Downloading an app displays a shrinked version of the iTunes 512x512 icon. Once the download completes, the package icon is displayed. If the Dev doesn't have an iPhone 4 icon in the package, then you get the standard, low res one.
Downloading an app displays a shrinked version of the iTunes 512x512 icon. Once the download completes, the package icon is displayed. If the Dev doesn't have an iPhone 4 icon in the package, then you get the standard, low res one.
The low res icons on the iPhone 4 bug me too. It shows how some developers might be on the lazy side with their updates. However, if you are jailbroken, you can go into your phone through SSH and access the .plist file for the apps and you can edit the size of the picture to half the size, which makes the icon display in HD for the retina display. There is a big thread about it in the hacks section called something like "HD icons for normal apps!!"