New apps created for the iPhone 5 and new iPod Touch

[municipality]

I'm just curious, not sure if this has been brought up here before, but what happens when new apps are created specifically for the new 4" screen size (there's no 3.5" version)?

Will older devices not be able to find it in the App Store to download?

Side note: Do you guys think the app file sizes will increase significantly to accommodate the different aspect ratios - especially universal apps? Flash drive space if becoming pretty scare as of late.

 

[pacmania1982]

Its 176 vertical pixels difference, so I honestly doubt that it will make much difference

pac

 

[Tubamajuba]

Its 176 vertical pixels difference, so I honestly doubt that it will make much difference

pac

Even if it was just one pixel, it still makes a difference if the app flat out doesn't support the older resolution.

That said, it will be a very, very long time before apps exclusively support the 4" display. Two out of three iPhone models still being sold have a 3.5" display- 3.5" displays will be the most commonly used iPhone/iPod touch display size for about two more years, I'd say. No developer will want to cut that much of the market from buying/using their app.

 

[sohaloh]

I'm also perplexed by this. I don't know much about aspect ratios and how they affect apps, but looking at the vast majority of android phones with different screens and screen sizes im sure it wont be much work if at all to accomodate that. If some Dev can comment on how aspect ratios are put into apps and how a dev changes them now to fit the 4 inch screen etc. Itll make it much more clearer to us. I know apple have something in mind. I mean they cant alienate more than half of their user base first with a larger screen and the new dock connector etc.

 

[Richardgm]

ForeFlight got updated to support the iPhone 5's resolution. It works fine on both iPhone 4s and iPad.

 

[BluePhoenixRa]

I have the same question.

But the way I see it, is that most developers (Such as Rovio/Firemint/etc) will probably make 3 different apps to accommodate each of the screen sizes (including the iPad that is.)

Or..and hopefully this is right for the sake of developers.. Once they originally make an app, say a game, for iPhone 5..the OS will basically make it fit down to iPhone 4/4S by pushing .25inch down from either ends. (Did I explain that correctly?) It will make the games look a bit odd at times though, but since they didn't increase the width, it should work just fine for a lot of them. Thus decreasing fragmentation of any sort. Ofcourse, games will look terrible.
But other apps could get away with it.

 

[thewitt]

Apps will have to be written to support the new screen size, and certainly some will not be written to support the old screen size as well. It's up to the app developer and his desired target market.

 

[dwburnell]

I'm guessing it will kind of be like how developers do universal apps. Some aspects of the app will have to have multiple sets of files for different devices. iPhone 4S and older, iphone 5, and ipad. I could be wrong though, i don't know much about coding.