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Retina Optimized app icons...

M

MikeTheVike

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 8, 2009
136
4
When I browse the store it looks like some of the Apps I have installed have high res icons, but they are still low res on my phone. The App hasn't had an update to download so I'm wondering if it's possible they updated the icon without having an official "App Update" Is this possible and can I delete the app and re-install it to get the high res icon if I already paid for the App? Thanks!
 
App Store only shows low res icons for bandwidth reasons. Except the special themed pages.
 
Bandolier said:
App Store only shows low res icons for bandwidth reasons. Except the special themed pages.
Click to expand...

When I browse the app store app on my phone the icons arein high resolution...For instance, I have Skee-Ball installed and the icon in low res. When I search for it on the App store the icon looks nice and high res...
 
I believe when developers submit an app, they also have to submit the app icon artwork of something like 500x500 size. The App Store uses that for the icons in the store. When you download the app though, it uses the icon that came with the app, and some developers haven't updated yet. Basically, that means you have to wait for the dev to update it.
 
Roo Zilla said:
I believe when developers submit an app, they also have to submit the app icon artwork of something like 500x500 size. The App Store uses that for the icons in the store. When you download the app though, it uses the icon that came with the app, and some developers haven't updated yet. Basically, that means you have to wait for the dev to update it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I feel like removing any app without an updated icon,haha.
 
Something I've noticed whilst an app is downloading on my iPhone, the icon is high res. But when it finishes, it's low res. (Only for some apps)

Shown in the pictures below using the IKEA app. What's with that! The icons obviously exist in some form or another. I'm a perfectionist by the way. I like my icons high res.

IMG_0484.png
IMG_0485.png
 
Roo Zilla said:
I believe when developers submit an app, they also have to submit the app icon artwork of something like 500x500 size. The App Store uses that for the icons in the store. When you download the app though, it uses the icon that came with the app, and some developers haven't updated yet. Basically, that means you have to wait for the dev to update it.
Click to expand...

Yup. It's pretty annoying that Apple can't use it's control freakery for once to madate that updates must now provide high res icons or the iTunes 500x500 one will be used for their app instead.

Phazer
 
tombarnes said:
Something I've noticed whilst an app is downloading on my iPhone, the icon is high res. But when it finishes, it's low res. (Only for some apps)

Shown in the pictures below using the IKEA app. What's with that! The icons obviously exist in some form or another. I'm a perfectionist by the way. I like my icons high res.
Click to expand...

Hey, do you by chance have a link to your grass wallpaper?

The Phazer said:
Yup. It's pretty annoying that Apple can't use it's control freakery for once to madate that updates must now provide high res icons or the iTunes 500x500 one will be used for their app instead.

Phazer
Click to expand...

They need a retina display icon for the app store to go along with the new Game Center one. I hate downloading apps now that haven't updated their resolution. It would be nice to know this ahead of time.
 
Lingham said:
An icon is an icon.
Does it really amtter if its high res? It does the same job?
Click to expand...

Obviously you've never seen the retina display. I'm fine if the app is still low res most of the times but I prefer a high res icon. How hard is that?
 
I am sure developers can spare 30 minutes of their time to upgrade to high res, can't they?

If not that, then let us artistic people use our own icons!
 
You can manually update the icons if they bother you that much. There are a few apps I have that have not gotten any updates in a long time, so I assume the developer has stopped working on them and I just made a new icon myself. You don't need to jailbreak, and you can just resize the icon the app uses in iTunes. Instructions at the link below.

http://lifehacker.com/5647008/change-your-iphones-app-icons-without-jailbreaking
 
Lingham said:
An icon is an icon.
Does it really amtter if its high res? It does the same job?
Click to expand...

As you can see on tombarne's example, the icon is blurry and terrible looking on a retina display. On other iPhones it really doesn't make much of a difference.
 
VforVelveta said:
You can manually update the icons if they bother you that much. There are a few apps I have that have not gotten any updates in a long time, so I assume the developer has stopped working on them and I just made a new icon myself. You don't need to jailbreak, and you can just resize the icon the app uses in iTunes. Instructions at the link below.

http://lifehacker.com/5647008/change-your-iphones-app-icons-without-jailbreaking
Click to expand...

That's perfect, Thanks!

Edit:

Here's another useful link to a template for photoshop users.
 
tombarnes said:
Something I've noticed whilst an app is downloading on my iPhone, the icon is high res. But when it finishes, it's low res. (Only for some apps)

Shown in the pictures below using the IKEA app. What's with that! The icons obviously exist in some form or another. I'm a perfectionist by the way. I like my icons high res.

IMG_0484.png
IMG_0485.png
Click to expand...


I noticed that also, got my hopes up when I was trying to delete and re-download some low-res icon apps.
 
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