Won't the resolution on the iPad mini be a problem?

[guspasho]

Okay so now that we know what it is, I can finally ask. Up until now, wasn't the dot pitch consistent across iOS devices? I mean, the UI guidelines have some specific requirements about keeping the size of targets and some other things at a minimum size. But it seems the iPad Mini upends all this. Won't this still be a problem for developers?

 

[kayno]

It's the exact same resolution on a smaller screen.. Developers have to do absolutely nothing to their existing apps..

 

[guspasho]

It's the exact same resolution on a smaller screen.. Developers have to do absolutely nothing to their existing apps..

And that means everything on the screen is physically smaller. The UI guidelines has a minimum hit target size of 44x44 pixels. Apple chose that pixel size because it's a direct translation to a physical size. But that's no longer consistent with the iPad Mini. And what if developers had been relying on a consistent dot pitch to translate screen elements to a consistent physical size, for app-specifica and not just UI reasons? I can't think of any examples, maybe there are none. But that's why I'm asking.

 

[jabingla2810]

Resolution won't be, but screen size might be.

Developers will probably start developing apps with both screen sizes in mind.

I can't see it being a massive issue though.

 

[Noisemaker]

The size difference isn't dramatic enough to warrant UI changes in 99.99% of cases.

One of the big reasons they went with this size screen is so that developers wouldn't need to do anything, and customers get instant gratification.

 

[Jessica Lares]

No, because it's only 2 inches which is not that very much.

If you're talking about games, I can say (because I have the Kindle Fire), that something on a 10.1 inch screen looks just as great on a 7". Being that the Mini has almost an inch more, it's going to be much better even.

 

[dingclancy]

Here is a post from Gruber on this issue. http://daringfireball.net/2012/08/ipad_mini_even_througher

 

[yabai]

It sounds like it shouldn't be an issue of screen size shrinking, but the PPI and the physical size of the icons and such. If I read all the info correctly, the iPad mini's PPI is the same 163 as the iPhone 3GS, so there should be no problem with the majority of the tappable areas in most apps. That PPI worked on the iPhones prior to the 4 just fine, so it shouldn't be a problem here.

 

[dtommyd]

That's a good point about the minimum size of the buttons. The numbers all made sense before all the retina era. The resolution war feels alot like the camera megapixel war. I'll be happy when it's to the point we don't worry about it anymore. Maybe after the iphone goes to 4k. The thinness issue is getting to be a bit much now too. Can we agree everything is thin enough? Next time add more battery.

 

[fizzwinkus]

i won't be satisfied with thinness until I'm holding razor blade shaped iphones and iPads

 

[Poochi]

i won't be satisfied with thinness until I'm holding razor blade shaped iphones and iPads

My first impression when I saw the iMac during keynote, "will it cut?"

 

[Anti-Lucifer]

Here's what the text looks like:

 

[noteple]

Its the same pixel count, layout as an iPad 2 and they work just fine

 

[fizzwinkus]

it will be somewhat sharper than the ipad 2 since the pixels are more densely packed

 

[Anti-Lucifer]

It's EXACTLY like an iphone 3GS - just look at an ipod 2nd gen if you have one laying around. See the pixels? Now the same pixels will be present but spread all around at 7.9".

 

[susa]

Here's what the text looks like:

Ahh yikes that was a scary pic Anti-Lucifer. If it looks anywhere near that bad, the mini definitely goes back & will have to go with the big heavy Retina.
Please say it isn't so!

 

[Dekard]

It looks great on an ipad2, it will look even better on a mini.

 

[jclardy]

And that means everything on the screen is physically smaller. The UI guidelines has a minimum hit target size of 44x44 pixels. Apple chose that pixel size because it's a direct translation to a physical size. But that's no longer consistent with the iPad Mini. And what if developers had been relying on a consistent dot pitch to translate screen elements to a consistent physical size, for app-specifica and not just UI reasons? I can't think of any examples, maybe there are none. But that's why I'm asking.

iPad mini is 163 PPI. Same PPI as original iPhone and iPod touch. Meaning 44x44 px touch targets are the exact same physical size.

It is smaller than the original iPad's larger 132 PPI, but it is a smaller device.