iOS 4 icon bug

[tomccabe]

I wasn't able to find any threads talking about this really annoying issue but have seen a few people mention it in blog comments.

Basically I love my new iPhone 4 display and as the new app updates come out it seems there's a bug in the OS where the high resolution icon is not used. You can see the high res one WHILE the update is downloading and installing but as soon as it finishes many (not all) app icons simply revert back to the low res version ( which looks terrible on the new display ). AIM did this today. Others have been eBay, Amazon, Paypal, ifitness, lastfm, Pandora, etc. What is the deal with this? Some apps seem to be able to make the icon update, others refuse to use the high res that is obviously available (I can see it!!!). Is there a fix?

 

[baller1308]

I'm not sure why it would do that. They have 512x512 icons for most if not all the apps before the retina display was released (used to make a few for winterboard themes).

 

[tomccabe]

Yes that is exactly the point. It's painfully obvious that the high res icon IS available because you can see it during the loading process! I would have thought that this was an issue with the app's ability to tell if you were using the 4 or 3GS or less, but I listed the apps I did to illustrate that these are some of the most popular, high budget companies apps that are exhibiting this behavior.

 

[admanimal]

Springboard icons for the retina display are 114x114 not 512x512, so app developers have to update the art for the new resolution, which is not the same as just scaling it down from 512x512. In any case, this doesn't explain the OP's problem, assuming that these apps are really including the appropriate resolution artwork.

 

[iceterminal]

I've updated a ton of apps on my new iP4, the wifes 3GS, and son's 3G. I've seen a few app icons change, but not from hi-res down to low res except on my son's 3G. But thats to be expected I guess because its a 3G only.

Have you tried to delete the app on the phone and then resync it?

 

[SiskoKid]

I bet it's because it's pulling from different assets based on what the icon is used for. From what I've heard from devs, they have to give Apple like I think 5 or 6 icon sizes to Apple all used for various things (i.e. what the icon is on your phone or how it's displayed in iTunes).

The icon used while downloading is probably being pulled from an icon that isn't actually the final icon used after the download is complete.

Besides, it's not a glitch. The dev has to send Apple their new HD icon for the iPhone 4. Apple can't just pull a switch just because they have higher res assets.

 

[Reluctant Adept]

I'm not sure why it would do that. They have 512x512 icons for most if not all the apps before the retina display was released (used to make a few for winterboard themes).

While it may be true for OS X applications it is absolutely not the case for iPhone apps, which are extremely resource-efficient by design. The icon for an iPhone app is 57x57, while iPad added a 72x72 icon to universal applications. Obviously with quadruple the resolution you need a much higher quality icon for the iPhone 4.

 

[tomccabe]

Besides, it's not a glitch. The dev has to send Apple their new HD icon for the iPhone 4. Apple can't just pull a switch just because they have higher res assets.

I completely disagree. If it wasn't a glitch (either with the OS or the development) you wouldn't see a high res icon during download.

 

[SiskoKid]

I completely disagree. If it wasn't a glitch (either with the OS or the development) you wouldn't see a high res icon during download.

Again, the icon being shown while being downloaded is OBVIOUSLY not the icon meant to be shown on the iPhone screen once done downloading. If that were the case, then we'd be seeing apps that are using the retina display while running but the icon itself isn't shown in HD.

The dev has to pull this trigger, not Apple.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Again, the icon being shown while being downloaded is OBVIOUSLY not the icon meant to be shown on the iPhone screen once done downloading. If that were the case, then we'd be seeing apps that are using the retina display while running but the icon itself isn't shown in HD.

The dev has to pull this trigger, not Apple.

I'm a developer, and this is correct. Each app pulls its icon from a png in the application bundle. Apple used to require that these be a certain size in order for the app to be approved. Every app on your phone needs to have their icon artwork updated for the new display.

Regarding the appearance of high quality during the download, there's only 2 options:
1) The darkened version of the icon simply looks better because it's more difficult to discern detail because it's mostly grayed out.
2) While downloading/installing, the 512x512 icon required by iTunes is used. Once the app is installed, the native resolution icon is used.

 

[tomccabe]

Again, the icon being shown while being downloaded is OBVIOUSLY not the icon meant to be shown on the iPhone screen once done downloading. If that were the case, then we'd be seeing apps that are using the retina display while running but the icon itself isn't shown in HD.

The dev has to pull this trigger, not Apple.

What's obvious about this? If the high res icon is there when it's loading someone is "pulling the trigger" to make that happen and it can "obviously" be done when it is finished loading.

 

[SiskoKid]

What's obvious about this? If the high res icon is there when it's loading someone is "pulling the trigger" to make that happen and it can "obviously" be done when it is finished loading.

Read what the dev above said. He explains it better than I do.

But just rest assured that the issue isn't a glitch. Once the dev of the app you have updates it to work natively on the retina display, then you'll see your shiny new HD icon

Trust me, I keep checking the app store like 10 times a day hoping for updates. Imagine my annoyance when I GET one and it STILL doesn't use the retina display

It'll get there eventually. At this point all we can do is wait

 

[tomccabe]

1) The darkened version of the icon simply looks better because it's more difficult to discern detail because it's mostly grayed out.

This is definitely not the case. It's very, very easy to discern the difference between an icon that has double the resolution of another. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with this display can tell you how obvious non-updated graphics are.

2) While downloading/installing, the 512x512 icon required by iTunes is used. Once the app is installed, the native resolution icon is used.

I guess this seems plausible, but was that always the case? It seems odd that Apple would implement that during loading but not take advantage of that ability to make the home screen look as good as it should on their flagship new product.

Either way, nice to get some dev perspective on this.

 

[tomccabe]

But just rest assured that the issue isn't a glitch. Once the dev of the app you have updates it to work natively on the retina display, then you'll see your shiny new HD icon

This is all well and good but doesn't address the behavior that the OP referred to. This is exactly how I'd feel IF I never saw an HD icon show up then disappear!

Trust me, I keep checking the app store like 10 times a day hoping for updates. Imagine my annoyance when I GET one and it STILL doesn't use the retina display

Hahaha I've been doing the exact same thing. On the plus side the only 8 apps I have that aren't in folders are either default or have icon updates

It'll get there eventually. At this point all we can do is wait

What about very small developers that may never update due to limited resources? Will those icons never be updated?

 

[Gizmotoy]

This is definitely not the case. It's very, very easy to discern the difference between an icon that has double the resolution of another. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with this display can tell you how obvious non-updated graphics are.



I guess this seems plausible, but was that always the case? It seems odd that Apple would implement that during loading but not take advantage of that ability to make the home screen look as good as it should on their flagship new product.

Either way, nice to get some dev perspective on this.

I haven't been able to tell the difference between the darkened low and high res icons I made to test the last time this came up. You can search for the thread. The consensus was it was an optical illusion.

No one knows for sure for #2. If they use the iTunes artwork during download, obviously that wouldn't be available when you don't have a network connection, so that's a poor idea for displaying app icons. You want the high res icon in the application bundle, which is what they now require. This differs from the low res icon required prior to the iPhone 4 introduction (iPad required only a slightly higher resultion icon).

 

[tomccabe]

Know what, I think you're right here. I can guarantee it isn't optical illusion, but yes when it is downloading it is connected to the App Store and could be pulling a high res iTunes version at that time and once downloaded uses the version in the app bundle. Curiously, when I went to check the icons in the App Store itself I was surprised to find that EVERY app icon is low res, even ones that actually have updated high res icons. Very odd.

 

[me2000]

Know what, I think you're right here. I can guarantee it isn't optical illusion, but yes when it is downloading it is connected to the App Store and could be pulling a high res iTunes version at that time and once downloaded uses the version in the app bundle. Curiously, when I went to check the icons in the App Store itself I was surprised to find that EVERY app icon is low res, even ones that actually have updated high res icons. Very odd.

They have to be low res for all the previous generation iPhones out there.

 

[tomccabe]

They have to be low res for all the previous generation iPhones out there.

Damn, good point

 

[wackerow]

The Retina Display is, in my opinion, the best new feature of the iPhone 4. All other great features aside, the pixel density and resolution of the iPhone 4 is unlike anything else in the world and it is very visually pleasing to view basically anything that matches the native resolution of the phone.

For this reason, I completely understand tomccabe's point of view, and agree that this should be fixed. Apple knows that this is a huge selling point to this phone, and I am perpetually shocked that Apple overlooks such details as the icons in the App Store, etc.

Sorry, but tough luck for the early generation iPhones... Upgrade, or simply enjoy the standard resolution. Those of us who spent the money to upgrade deserve to enjoy one of the best features of the phone, to every degree (including something as seemingly trivial as icons). It looks even worse than the 3G/3GS when the icons aren't updated, due to what appears to be differences in anti-aliasing w/ the increased pixel density (anyone know more about graphics to shed light on exactly why old icons look even worse w/ the Retina Display?)

This doesn't change/fix the problem, but I do feel that it is a problem and Apple needs to figure out a better way to do that App Store, besides just being lazy and leaving low-res icons in there because older versions of the phone aren't capable.

---------

On a quick note, going back to the original post, I too am having the exact same problem of apps installing w/ a hi-res icon (absolutely not an "optical illusion", that is probably the most ridiculous thing I've heard to explain this), and then reverting back when completed. Specifically,

Pandora
AT&T myWireless
Angry Birds

This just happened to me for the first time a couple days ago. Those three apps were all updated via the same "Update All" batch of apps (a few days ago now I think), and all three failed to load the hi-res icon properly after installing. Every single previous app upgrade (since iOS 4) has loaded perfectly. You're not alone tomccabe.

Like many things with Apple, looks like we'll just have to be patient until they get it just right.

 

[wackerow]

iPhone 4 960x640 Screenshot Displaying Low vs Hi-Res Icons

All apps are up to date, this was taken moments ago.

Still very disappointed at the lack of communication/direction from Apple to these developers regarding the fact that these are not working properly (or whatever the problem is). If other users are simply not having this problem, please say so.. perhaps I need to do a restore to my phone... In the meantime, make sure to view the image above at the "Large" resolution (if it isn't the default) and you can clearly see the resolution of each app:

Hi res: DoodleJump, FlightControl, Enigmo ( + 6 games on my device not visible)
Low res: Angry Birds, Worms, Tap Tap, Scrabble, Geared, Pocket God, SuperBall 3, Kitt'nCannon Skee-Ball ( + 10 games on my device not visible)

Not all, but the majority of the apps showing up Low Res are apps that clearly displayed a hi res icon during installation, sometimes a completely difference image too.
ie: Worms ($5).. was a completely different, and hi-resolution icon while installing then switched that that eye sore upon completion

 

[f4780y]

iPhone 4 960x640 Screenshot Displaying Low vs Hi-Res Icons

All apps are up to date, this was taken moments ago.

Still very disappointed at the lack of communication/direction from Apple to these developers regarding the fact that these are not working properly (or whatever the problem is). If other users are simply not having this problem, please say so.. perhaps I need to do a restore to my phone... In the meantime, make sure to view the image above at the "Large" resolution (if it isn't the default) and you can clearly see the resolution of each app:

Hi res: DoodleJump, FlightControl, Enigmo ( + 6 games on my device not visible)
Low res: Angry Birds, Worms, Tap Tap, Scrabble, Geared, Pocket God, SuperBall 3, Kitt'nCannon Skee-Ball ( + 10 games on my device not visible)

Not all, but the majority of the apps showing up Low Res are apps that clearly displayed a hi res icon during installation, sometimes a completely difference image too.
ie: Worms ($5).. was a completely different, and hi-resolution icon while installing then switched that that eye sore upon completion

Apologies, incorrect information posted.

 

[wackerow]

Well, if you swear Angry Birds is up to date then you defo have something wrong. Comparing to my display, I have a high-res Angry Birds icon, which was the latest update from a couple of weeks ago... Can post pic later if you need proof...
Hate to ask this same old question, but did you set up your IP4 as a new phone or restore from previous phone? Unless you are 100% sure you set up as new, I would suggest restoring and doing that now. I have seen quite a few glitches like this on friends IP4's who set them up with a 3 backup...
Also, did you own the low-res games for your previous device? IE were they originally bought and installed on a previous phone. Maybe something is sticking somewhere...?

100% Sure I didn't restore... I wanted to start fresh.. Regardless, that is enough convincing for me to restore my phone right now. I'll check back.

 

[admanimal]

Well, if you swear Angry Birds is up to date then you defo have something wrong. Comparing to my display, I have a high-res Angry Birds icon, which was the latest update from a couple of weeks ago...

I am 100% sure that Angry Birds does not have a high res icon yet.

 

[wackerow]

On second thought... doing a backup and restore will erase all progress in any games (such as Angry Birds), will it not?? That makes me more reluctant to overhaul everything.

 

[f4780y]

100% Sure I didn't restore... I wanted to start fresh.. Regardless, that is enough convincing for me to restore my phone right now. I'll check back.

Geez, guys I cant say sorry enough. You are absolutely right. I just took the screenshot and went to upload. My eyes must be bad, I honestly couldn't discern how bad that was on my retina screen until I saw the screenshot on my laptop to upload. Please accept my apologies. I'll edit my post.