Developers, Apps, And The iPhone’s Taller Screen→

Developers, Apps, And The iPhone’s Taller Screen

Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web reached out to some iOS developers asking about the technical changes involved with a taller screen on the iPhone. As it turns out, adopting existing applications to the iPhone 5 will depend on how a developer chose to put his software together.

Some apps, ones that use a ‘table view’ element, will likely be able to simply “stretch the middle”, letting the table spread out to the top and bottom of the screen. But even those types of apps will need some tweaking before they’re completely fit to ship on the new iPhone. Apps that use custom graphics all around, like those with bespoke interfaces or many 2D games, will need a full revamp.

Apps that use “tables” – e.g. lists coded in the way Apple recommends – will be fairly easy to update. As several developers are already pointing out on Twitter, most apps will simply need a new “default image” that specifically targets the new iPhone’s 4-inch screen. However, other apps that present more custom elements such as 2D and 3D graphics will require more effort, as their entire interfaces will need to be redrawn for the extra pixels of the iPhone 5. It is likely that, for at least a few weeks, these apps will run in the “letterboxed” mode Apple announced today.

It’ll also be interesting to observe whether developers will slowly move away from placing UI elements at the top of the screen. First reports are suggesting the iPhone 5 is perfectly fine for one-handed use, but this could still become an issue for users with smaller hands who won’t be able to reach the area at the top.

Considering how this screen size will likely stay around for many years to come, developers surely have time to figure this out.

Update: Below, a simulation of an app updated for the new iPhone’s screen. The app is Filterstorm, and the screenshots were posted by its developer on Twitter.

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The iPhone 5’s Exclusive Feature: A Better Experience

What strikes me as different about the iPhone 5 announcement is that, for the first time in years, it doesn’t bring any new, big exclusive software feature.

The iPhone 4 introduced FaceTime. The iPad 2 had Photo Booth. The iPhone 4S got Siri. In Apple’s recent history, major updates to iOS devices were (almost) always complemented by some exclusive software functionality. Particularly with the iPhone, the company’s biggest source of revenue, Apple has always made sure since the 3GS (which got voice control, among other things) new iPhone models would have both new hardware and software to appeal to customers.

Not so with the iPhone 5.

If we exclude the five rows of icons on the Home screen, the possibility to take still photos while recording video, and face detection for 1080p HD video recording (both briefly mentioned here), the iPhone 5 doesn’t offer anything exclusive, software-wise, over the iPhone 4S.

I haven’t tried the iPhone 5 yet, so I can’t judge the capabilities of the device. But I can attempt to understand the reasoning behind this choice.

For now, Apple has got its software ecosystem pretty much figured out. There’s the Post-PC strategy, the App Store, feature parity between iOS and OS X, and a new iTunes coming out next month. Albeit slowly, Siri is evolving, and it is coming to more devices. iOS 6 will be released next week, and it’ll introduce previously-announced new features like Maps, Passbook, and Facebook integration. From a software standpoint, Apple is now performing the excellent art of iterating – or, this is how Apple rolls. Sometimes it’s more visible; other times things look the same. But they’re always changing.

And I believe this time things are changing with a different focus. The iPhone 4S leveraged Apple’s interplay of hardware and software – mentioned on several occasions during today’s keynote – to introduce one last big new iOS feature with a bang – Siri. If you look at iOS’ releases one by one, like we tech writers do every few months, it seems like they haven’t changed much. But it is only when you look back that you realize the differences were indeed palpable. And the iPhone 4S did have one big difference, software-wise.

With the iPhone 5, Apple is shifting from a “look at what’s new” mindset to a “look at how much better it is” approach. If you only looked at the screens of an iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 and used them without holding them in your hands, you wouldn’t notice much differences in the software. Sure, you’d see the bigger screen, but you wouldn’t be curious to immediately go check out that new app. But the thing is, we don’t use iPhones like that. We hold them in our hands, we touch them, we make calls with them and we stream content wirelessly from the Internet with them.

It’s not about the hardware alone. Because on that front, yes, things are new. It’s about how the hardware allows for a better experience without having to do anything new. It’s about refining what is already good. It’s about starting from scratch.

Ultimately, the iPhone 5 is about making the overall experience better through advancements in mobile technology. The iPhone 5 may not have new apps or iOS features for now, but it does offer an unparalleled experience. It does LTE with up to 8 hours of browsing. Reports are already coming in that, thanks to the A6 processor, everything feels snappier and more responsive. And if it really is comfortable to hold, the new 4-inch screen will show more content, which I see as a welcome improvement.

On a simple iOS feature-by-feature checklist, iPhone 5 loses. But on a scale of “Does this work better than before?”, I think it will be indisputably better than its predecessors. The interplay of hardware and software wasn’t functional to adding new features this time: the integration Apple prides itself upon should serve as a catalyst to make everything work better, without having to reinvent what we already know.

I think Apple’s Design webpage for the new iPhone sums it up best: ”if convention was standing in the way, we left it behind”.

iPhone 5 is about paradoxes. It’s bigger, but it’s slimmer. It’s got LTE, but longer battery life. It’s thinner, but it’s got a better camera, an redesigned speaker system, and new microphones. It’s new – but really, is it?

After the iPhone 5, new iOS devices won’t be judged by how many new apps they bring, but by how much they make the experience better.

Apple Posts September 12 Keynote Video→

Apple Posts September 12 Keynote Video

Apple has posted a video for its September 12 Keynote that took place in San Francisco earlier today. The video can be streamed here, and a higher quality version should be made available in a few hours through iTunes. To avoid streaming errors, Safari is recommended for the best viewing experience.

- Streaming from Apple Events’ website

Update: The keynote video is now available for download as well through iTunes.

Also, here’s a recap of our ongoing coverage for today’s event:

iTunes 10.7 Now Available

Apple Announces New iTunes for OS X, iPod Touch 5th Generation, and a New iPod Nano

iPhone 5: Our Complete Overview

The Numbers and Facts From Apple’s September 12 Event

We will post additional news on the site’s homepage, or tweet as @MacStoriesNet throughout the day.

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Apple To Developers: Submit Your iOS 6 Apps Today

Following the introduction of the new iPhone 5, new iPods and an upcoming new iTunes earlier today, Apple has now sent an official mail to its third-party developers. In it, Apple asks its developers to submit updates of their apps or completely new ones built with the newest iOS 6 SDK and APIs.

iOS 6 will soon be in the hands of hundreds of millions of customers. Take advantage of beautifully designed and smooth panning maps using the new vector based engine in MapKit. Provide tickets, loyalty cards, and other passes with Passbook. Integrate sharing capabilities for Facebook. Explore new camera APIs and new features for Reminders, In-App Purchase, and Game Center to create your best iOS apps yet.

To prepare your apps for submission, download the GM seeds for iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5 and test your existing apps for compatibility. Be sure to review the updated App Store Review Guidelines and the iOS 6 Readiness Checklist, and submit your apps today.

Developers can now head over to the Apple Developer website to download the new GM seeds for iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5.

iTunes 10.7 Now Available

While a major new version of iTunes (coming in October) was announced at today’s media event in San Francisco, Apple has already released version 10.7 of the software. Labelled as “coming soon” on its website, iTunes 10.7 is actually available for download from the iTunes Download webpage.

iTunes 10.7 is a minor compatibility update for iOS 6 (which is coming next week) and the new iPods announced today.

iTunes 10.7 adds support for iOS 6 running on compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models. This update also adds support for the latest iPod nano and iPod shuffle models.

You can download iTunes 10.7 from Apple’s website.

Apple Announces New iTunes for OS X, iPod Touch 5th Generation, and a New iPod Nano

Apple hasn’t forgotten about the iPod or iTunes, announcing Wednesday a new iPod touch and a new iPod nano.

After the iPhone’s introduction, Tim Cook brought on Eddy Cue to talk about iTunes, introducing it as the #1 music store in the world, with over 200 million customers using iTunes, worldwide availability in 63 countries, and over 26 million songs available. “Two thirds of our downloads come from iOS,” Cue said on stage, while showing off brand new iTunes and App Store designs on the iPad, then on the iPhone 5. Launching September 19th, the visual refresh brings better performance when browsing through the store, and also includes the ability to preview music browsing and share store links with friends.

Apple also showcased an updated iTunes application for OS X, which features a new edge-to-edge design that looks similar to the iPad’s refreshed music app as of iOS 5. Album art flows across the display — clicking on an album expands album info as opening a folders does on iOS. iTunes also brings popovers that present a drop down of upcoming songs, and improved search results as you filter through music in your library. Cue also showed off a brand new mini-player design, which unlike previous designs, shows album artwork and gives the option to manage playlists and see upcoming songs as well.

More and updates past the break!

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iPhone 5: Our Complete Overview

Apple’s Phil Schiller took the stage today at Apple’s media event in San Francisco to officially unveil the iPhone 5, Apple’s major upgrade iPhone family. As widely rumored, the iPhone 5 features a taller display to visualize more content, a thinner profile, and a new metal backplate. While similar in the overall aesthetic to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the changes made to the iPhone 5’s body construction, display, and glass design represent a major change from the industrial design first introduced in 2010. Read more

The Numbers and Facts From Apple’s September 12 Event

As usual with every Apple product announcement, keynotes start with “state of the business” introduction that, through various numbers and facts, reveals how the company is doing in several areas such as retail, the App Store, and hardware sales. At today’s media event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared some interesting details on a variety of subjects.

  • The new Apple retail store in Barcelona is made of limestone from a local quarry.
  • Apple is opening a new retail store in the 13th country (Sweden) this Friday.
  • There are 380 Apple retail stores worldwide.
  • Customers’ response to Mountain Lion has been “fantastic”. Seven million copies have been downloaded to date.
  • 17 million iPads have been sold in the last quarter (April-June).
  • More iPads were sold than any other PC maker sold of their entire line-up.
  • 84 million iPads have been sold to date.
  • iPad’s share of the tablet market went up from 62% last year to 68% in spite of the competition.
  • iPad accounts for 91% of web traffic from tablets.
  • 94% of Fortune 500 are testing or deploying iPads.
  • The App Store has now over 700,000 apps. 250,000 are made exclusively for the iPad.
  • 90% of all apps are downloaded every month.
  • More than 100 apps are downloaded per customer on average.
  • 400 million iOS devices have been sold through June 2012.

For more coverage, check out our September 12 news hub and follow @macstoriesnet on Twitter.

“iPhone 5”, “New iPod Touch and Nano” Appear On Apple’s Website

As noted by 9to5Mac, search queries for “iPhone 5” on Apple’s website are returning links to press releases and product pages that haven’t been released yet. With a media event scheduled for later today in San Francisco, it only makes sense that Apple is getting ready to update its website with information on the new iPhone, rumored to be a major upgrade to the iPhone 4S.

There’s been some speculation as to whether Apple would call it “iPhone 5” being the device the sixth iteration, but, at this point, there seems to be little doubt in regards to the monicker chosen by Apple. It could be a well-played “fake leak” orchestrated by the company, but it seems unlikely.

Other search queries for iPod Nano and iPod Touch reveal similar results, with links press releases and webpages not available yet.

This isn’t the first time Apple let product names and details slip a few hours ahead of media events. Last October, the “iPhone 4S” name, image, and release date briefly appeared on Apple’s Japanese website before they were pulled.

As noted by MacRumors, different search queries are also returning results for a press release called “Apple Unveils New iTunes”, dated September 12, 2012.