Will the iPad Mini not fragment the iOS ecosystem?

[zhenya]

Not all apps do. And that can't work in every case. What do you do with text in UI or sub-section of an app with a small paragraph of text, or a situation like the one just linked? you seriously think it's a viable solution to let users zoom in or out as they feel it's right?
I prefer an app displaying well at launch, i don't want to play with zoom factor.

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Seriously? that's your answer?
... just learn to read, ok?

If you can bear the 19% smaller size on the mini, then why don't you expect to see it 19% smaller also on the retina iPad 9.7". Not really maximized on it.

I can read fine.

But your example shows some text sometimes would need to be enlarged: they can't appear smaller than on an iPhone, the mini is held at least as close (same ppi) as an iPhone if not farther (because larger).
To gain comfort on the mini, then two solutions:
- tweaks on the mini only -> devs don't want to deal with fragmentation, or then, why Apple even stayed at 1024x768 with the mini if they wanted devs to adapt their UIs to each iPad sizes.
- tweaks affect all iPads -> text enlarged appears at a better size on the mini, but then even larger on the 9.7" than originally, and then less text can be displayed. Loss in quantity of data displayed on all iPad models in the end.

The problem is, you want it to display well for YOU. If app developers get in this game of resizing their apps for use on the Mini, what standard are they following? Apple hasn't set one, so it's a ripe opportunity for each developer to optimize their app according to their own preferences, which will lead to a mess of inconsistency. Especially because many of the problems they are 'fixing' today will be rendered moot when the Mini eventually gets a retina screen.

 

[chleuasme]

If app developers get in this game of resizing their apps for use on the Mini, what standard are they following? Apple hasn't set one, so it's a ripe opportunity for each developer to optimize their app according to their own preferences, which will lead to a mess of inconsistency. Especially because many of the problems they are 'fixing' today will be rendered moot when the Mini eventually gets a retina screen.

Yep, that's the problem. I really agree.

Yet, at least the NYT appears (lack of screenshots comparison to be certain) to have chosen to differentiate the two iPad sizes.

And yourself or others agree that offering text zoom option (or some talking about glasses, too ...) could be a good option.
So, you also agree that there can be problems with size of text (maybe, yes, retina can help in the future in many cases, maybe sometimes it would still be too small for making it comfortable, though legible. btw my eyesight is fine, thanks to care).

I think Apple had no other solution than the 1024x768@163ppi mini, for price, battery, cpu, gpu, screen tech, etc. And of course, more importantly, iPad apps compatibility at launch of the product. Tradeoffs are ok, and it works quite good enough.
That was a necessary step to be able to introduce a smaller iPad.

Now, I stand by my position: with a 35% smaller (or 50% larger) screen, it makes too much of a difference in too many cases.
This coming year will be interesting. Let's see and witness what will happen in the iPad apps landscape. If too many app developer meet the need to tweak their app for the mini, Apple will have to move to ensure consistency in iOS on iPads.

I still bet the retina iPad mini could better be with a screen at 264 ppi, with Auto Layout to help support its new resolution. Now this was added in dev's hand with iOS 6, future apps coming before the retina mini is launched will be already able to deal with this situation. No update needed, already done. And other retina apps can still be scaled down to the retina smaller screen in other cases.

 

[chleuasme]

many of the problems they are 'fixing' today will be rendered moot when the Mini eventually gets a retina screen.

Just because I found the info about it only today,
Do you really think it's because the screen is not retina that Apple itself has tweaked the split keyboard on the iPad mini so it appears at the same physical size as on a 9.7" iPad?