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iPad Pro [Crowdsourcing] Non-Optimized Content on the new iPad Pro (10.5" + 12.9")

NightWingz

NightWingz

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 23, 2013
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Crowdsourcing Update

The iPad was touted to have a better UI optimized for tablet over the Android counterparts.

Is there a point in getting the 10.5" or 12.9" iPad Pro if most apps you use frequently are not updated to support its resolution? (e.g. wasted space all over and apps not looking right = user experience suffers)

Since there isn't an easy way to know which apps are supported on the Pro formats, I have an idea to consolidate this information in a table. But this would require the help of fellow MacRumors friends here, through crowdsourcing.

If any of you could chip in and let me know which apps are supported for which format/features, I'm sure some people will find it helpful (I know I'll be thankful!). It would also be great if you all could post screenshots of the app on the format (e.g. 10.5" or 12.9") so all of us can have a concrete visual example of the app in question.

IMG_1986.jpg


P.S. I have an issue inserting an image through URL, so had to upload an attachment

Original Post

How does non-optimized content look on the new iPad Pro?
Both 10.5" and 12.9".

So I had a look at the demo units at the Apple Store. Obviously, we were not allowed to install apps onto the demo units, so I had to work with what was available.

The YouTube app was not present, so I fired up both mobile & desktop YouTube using Safari, and with the highest quality setting (720p), it looks horrendous on both the 10.5" and 12.9" iPad Pro.

Some apps installed on the demo units were also not optimized for the larger display, and it is apparent from both the user interface and images in the app (pixelated).

We have been using the 9.7" display since the iPad's inception, and all iPad apps are designed to work with the 9.7" display first. Now that there is no longer a 9.7" display for the Pro models, I wonder what will be the de facto screen size developers will work with from now.

1. How does non-optimized content look on the 10.5"? Are they stretched from 9.7"? Does the content or video look blurry?

2. How much of the apps are already optimized for 10.5" and 12.9" display? My worry is, upgrading from a 9.7" screen, that if apps take a long time to be optimized, the experience will not be as great as on the 9.7" iPad Pro.

3. What is the minimum resolution for video content to look crisp and sharp?
- e.g. 720p looks quite decent on my 9.7" iPad Pro, 1080p is better, but I can't discern 1440p on a 9.7".
- What's the ideal minimum quality for 10.5" and 12.9"?

4. Lastly, anyone has any idea if the following apps are optimized for the new iPad Pros (10.5" + 12.9") already?

- AVPlayerHD (my de facto video app of choice with customized swipe gestures)
- YouTube
- Air Video HD
- Spotify
- Pocket
- Flipboard
- Toggle

Thank you all in advance for your inputs and discussion.

Food for Thought

The iPad was touted to have a better UI optimized for tablet over the Android counterparts.

Is there a point in getting the 10.5" or 12.9" iPad Pro if most apps you use frequently are not updated to support its resolution? (e.g. wasted space all over and apps not looking right = user experience suffers)

 
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I think this exactly a reason Apple decided to go up a size, developers will now have to adapt their apps to the larger size 10.5 and 12.9 since they are now the standard and will need to be optimized for in the coming years.
 
I've been using a 10.5 since Thursday and haven't noticed any weird "non optimised" application problems whatsoever.

I'd go so far as to say that it's a non issue.

Perhaps there are SOME applications that look weird, but I haven't noticed any.

From your list, on the 10.5
Flipboard: looks fine to me
Youtube: looks fine to me

I've been using iPad 4 and iPad mini (original) previously since they were new and nothing stands out as weird so far?

On the developer side, apple has been pushing resolution independence for apps on iOS for at least 2-3 years now.
 
throAU said:
I've been using a 10.5 since Thursday and haven't noticed any weird "non optimised" application problems whatsoever.

I'd go so far as to say that it's a non issue.

Perhaps there are SOME applications that look weird, but I haven't noticed any.

From your list, on the 10.5
Flipboard: looks fine to me
Youtube: looks fine to me

I've been using iPad 4 and iPad mini (original) previously since they were new and nothing stands out as weird so far?

On the developer side, apple has been pushing resolution independence for apps on iOS for at least 2-3 years now.
Click to expand...


The iOS apps are not resolution indipendent! All iPad apps MUST be update with a new layout for resolution of 2224x1668px of iPad 10.5.

Otherwise apps will work, but with NoUpdadedApp running on ipad 10.5, resolution will be downscaled from native 2224x1668px to 2048x1536px. (You can verify it from iOS status bar clock that begin bigger when is on app running in downscale resolution) As a result the ppi value decreases from the native 264ppi to small and blurry 244ppi

2048x1536px is non a native resolution for 10.5inch screen, so 1pixel of the app no longer matches the physical 1pixel of the screen and the image and the texts become more blurry.

When born iPad Mini retina the apps did not have to be updated because of the resolution was the same of the iPad 9.7

iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9 have identical hardware, if Apple had kept 12.9 resolution on both iPad Pro (12.9 and 10.5) apps layouts not must be updated and the iPad Pro 10.5 would have a very good ppi value of 326 (same of iPad mini 4)

IMG_2587.jpg
 
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Many of the apps I use have already been updated for auto layout in Xcode for use in multitasking so they look great on the new iPad. As for YouTube app content, you can go up to 1440p from what I can tell trying to play a 4K video. That’s good enough! The few apps like Speedtest.net which haven’t been updated just look slightly blown up and a touch blurry.
 
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Royksöpp said:
The 12.9 Pro has been on the market for a year and half. I'm going to assume that the 10.7 would just scale down apps optimized for the 12.9.
Click to expand...

not exactly...Try yourself, if the battery icon make bigger when you open an app, the resolution is downscaled to 2048 and the ppi became only 244. There is nothing else to assume.

Battery icon status bar at iPad Pro 10.5 on native resolution (no app or optimized app running )
IMG_0002.jpg


Battery icon status bar at iPad Pro 10.5 with Facebook app running (resolution downscaled to 2048 and blurry )
IMG_0003.jpg
 
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Altimax98 said:
Yeah I am with you. The none optimized applications are annoying. I notice it in the taller keyboard and the status bar
Click to expand...

Exactly... It will take months and months to receive the optimized version :( if only apple had used the same resolution of 12.9 on both...:mad:
 
fraz76 said:
The iOS apps are not resolution indipendent! All iPad apps MUST be update with a new layout for resolution of 2224x1668px of iPad 10.5.

Otherwise apps will work, but with NoUpdadedApp running on ipad 10.5, resolution will be downscaled from native 2224x1668px to 2048x1536px. (You can verify it from iOS status bar clock that begin bigger when is on app running in downscale resolution) As a result the ppi value decreases from the native 264ppi to small and blurry 244ppi

2048x1536px is non a native resolution for 10.5inch screen, so 1pixel of the app no longer matches the physical 1pixel of the screen and the image and the texts become more blurry.

When born iPad Mini retina the apps did not have to be updated because of the resolution was the same of the iPad 9.7

iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9 have identical hardware, if Apple had kept 12.9 resolution on both iPad Pro (12.9 and 10.5) apps layouts not must be updated and the iPad Pro 10.5 would have a very good ppi value of 326 (same of iPad mini 4)

View attachment 704516
Click to expand...

Excuse me, but have you written anything for iOS using XCode lately? Interface builder is set up so that your UI can be resolution independent if you put the effort in now, and Apple has been pushing devs to do this for a couple of years. Specifically because we don't just have "retina" and "non-retina" any more.

There's no such thing as "native" resolution any more except for video, and if your resolution is high enough (e.g., retina) then it doesn't really matter because the scaling, if done effectively should be essentially invisible to the user because the pixels are too small.

Again, sure, there's probably apps out there that aren't making use of the new interface builder features yet (and thus may have scaled UI elements that look crap), but having owned a 10.5" since day of release, i can't say i've found it to be an issue.

Its certainly not a deal breaker on the 10.5.

How interface builder resolution independence works:



The tools are there. The more different resolutions apple put out, the more developers will need to get on board with this.

Rather than building a device specific layout, any developer should be porting their app to use constraints.
 
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throAU said:
Excuse me, but have you written anything for iOS using XCode lately?
Click to expand...
Yes. I confirm that for the full resolution running, the apps must be updaded adding, at the Xcode storyboard layout, full resolutions elements for resolution of iPad 10.5

throAU said:
but having owned a 10.5" since day of release, i can't say i've found it to be an issue.
Click to expand...
I suppose that, for you, Facebook and Twitter apps on 10.5 are sharp and clear...You're lucky... because for my eyes those apps are very blurry and extremely fatigued. Instead on 9.7 the text is very clear and defined.

Bye
 
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fraz76 said:
Yes. I confirm that for the full resolution running, the apps must be updaded adding, at the Xcode storyboard layout, full resolutions elements for resolution of iPad 10.5


I suppose that, for you, Facebook and Twitter apps on 10.5 are sharp and clear...You're lucky... because for my eyes those apps are very blurry and extremely fatigued. Instead on 9.7 the text is very clear and defined.

Bye
Click to expand...
Agree 100%

I can’t stand scaled apps. Facebook is bad on the 10.5. Funnily enough Facebook Messenger is not scaled on the 10.5. Of the apps I use about 30% appear scaled. With the 10.5 being the new standard high-end iPad I’d expect more developers to support it properly. Good news for 12.9 users.
 
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I am a new 10.5" owner and I just came across this thread searching for things like "why is my iPad blurry". My suspicion was that the 9.7" resolution was being used for the 10.5" and this thread supports the theory.

Facebook, Gmail, BBC, Amazon, and many other high profile apps look horrible. Anything in the OS is nice and crisp, but most of the apps I use seem to be running the 9.7" resolution (if that is indeed the issue). I'm very sensitive to the sharpness changes and if this isn't something they fix it will probably be a deal breaker for me. It looks like I'm looking at a $100 Wal-Mart tablet screen outside of the OS and the few native/optimized apps.

What I am seeing is demonstrated precisely by fraz76's post above with the Facebook battery icons - the whole screen just looks like that.
 
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Amazing they get away with putting out a faulty product. Yet everyone is buying. Im sure we'll soon hear "Your looking at the screen wrong".
 
Royksöpp said:
It's only been a little over a week. Just give it a little bit more time.
Click to expand...
Probably more like a few months. It's happened multiple times already and the transition always seems to take a while:

iPhone 3GS - iPhone 4 (retina)
iPad 2 - iPad 3 (retina)
iPhone 4S - iPhone 5 (4")
iPhone 5s - iPhone 6/6+ (4.7"/5.5")
iPad Air 2 - iPad Pro (12.9")

I've had apps that didn't get updated for new resolutions until the next model was almost upon release.
 
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This concerns me.

I'm looking to make the upgrade from 9.7" Pro to 12.9" Pro and I don't plan on buying the ASK this time as I rarely used it and I'm more than happy typing on glass for short periods. I have a Apple Bluetooth keyboard I can use in the house if need be.

Am I correct in thinking if apps aren't optimised for the 12.9" it's not just the overall app but also the onscreen keyboard that takes a hit?
 
fraz76 said:
Inlarged interface with downscaling and streched resolution = blurry text

That I know...in 18 months Facebook has never updated its app for the native resolution of ipp 12.9
Click to expand...
They can't even be bothered to update it for spilt screen..doubt they will bother
 
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c14nhl said:
This concerns me.

I'm looking to make the upgrade from 9.7" Pro to 12.9" Pro and I don't plan on buying the ASK this time as I rarely used it and I'm more than happy typing on glass for short periods. I have a Apple Bluetooth keyboard I can use in the house if need be.

Am I correct in thinking if apps aren't optimised for the 12.9" it's not just the overall app but also the onscreen keyboard that takes a hit?
Click to expand...

Yes, I think the keyboard definitely takes a bit too. You can try downloading Instagram on even your 9.7" iPad. Since it isn't optimized for iPad resolution, you will see an iPhone resolution and an iPhone keyboard.
 
I played with Paper 53 last week on one of the new 10.5 iPads (in store) and while it scales, the touch area wasn't aligned properly. Might have been fixed by now though.
 
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