Apple confirmed rumours of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus launch. With a size of 4.7 and 5.5-inches, respectively, both iPhones sport Apple’s trademark style of sleekness.
Let’s take a look, at what amazing news it brings to its developers?
With the iPhone 6 (4.7 inch screen and 1334 x 750 pixels) and iPhone 6+ (5.5 inch screen and 1920 x 1080 pixels), Apple has stuck to its 16:9 aspect ratio for screen. This means the current apps will automatically scale up to fit the new devices.
Phil Schiller, Apple’s Marketing Chief, said the company’s iOS 8 platform has a desktop-class scaler. This allows its apps to adjust to varying screen sizes. Schiller gave the example of CNN’s app, without any code tweaks. He said it just works.
- Apple’s X-code will allow apps to easily adjust to multiple screen sizes. But iPhone 6 features such as its horizontal views and the ability to add denser content will still need some revisions. For instance, CNN is redesigning its app to take advantage of this feature.
- App developers have a great opportunity to update their apps, to make the most of extended resolution and features like ‘reachability’. This lets users double tap their TouchID and get notifications. It even allows users to operate their larger sized iPhones with just one hand.
- The new iPhone’s predictive keyboard and record interface, has made room for a whole new level of optimization. The idea is to boost one-hand usage of iPhones, by users. M8 chip has even improvised performance on heath-tracking and motion sensing, making the iPhones faster.
- For apps serving graphic intensive content, Apple has opened access to its M8 chips. This will allow app developers to create unique, graphic-focused apps close to their processors.
- Apple has introduced new software tricks for developers, to better utilize the new large-screened iPhones. In iPhone 6 Plus there is a horizontal display for its Messages app, along with Stocks and Mail. The phone’s keyboard has a new horizontal screen. The views designed are intended to make better use of the expanded screen real estate.
The Robust iPhones
Apple informs that its A8 is up to 50% more power-efficient and will be able to undertake power-intensive tasks for longer, by generating lesser heat.
To let developers, easily bank on the robustness of its new chip, Apple will push its Metal app and game engine for the creation of more visually advanced software. As a positive responsive to this, game developers have already committed to producing Metal games and the first ones will be out before this year’s end, reports Apple.
Developer Alert
With iPhones having a bigger screen-size, a new iOS tweak will let few apps to operate in an iPad like space. If developers choose to implement this functionality, then this mode will be activated by sideway turning of the iPhones. This will showcase an iPad like left side column for better viewing.
App developers have a lot of work to do to fully re-design their apps for the new iPhones. This is because, while scaling up, apps will not be able to retain the same pixel density. This indicates that apps on the new iPhones may seem blurry.
Developers have no choice but to scale up their image sizes. Besides, apps working on iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S may do not appealing on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus, at all.
