Apple.com upgrading to high-resolution images ahead of Retina iPad launch
Apple has begun upgrading portions of its website, such as the iPad section, with high-resolution images that are large enough to fit on the third-generation iPad's Retina Display.
AppleInsider reader "dglow" noticed recently that Apple has quietly begun adding double-resolution images to its website tailored to HiDPI screens and the new Retina Display found on the third-generation iPad.
At present, the Apple.com homepage and the iPad portion of the site are the only sections found to have been upgraded to the higher-resolution images. However, Apple has been gradually replacing images on its site, as not all graphics on those pages have received the double-resolution treatment.
For instance, the U.S. flag button at the bottom of the homepage remains blurry when viewed in either HiDPI mode, similar to scaled-up screenshots of the normal-resolution version. There is, however, a noticeable difference between the "Choose your country or region" text on the two versions. Apple hid HiDPI mode within OS X Lion last year and enabled the feature with the release of OS X 10.7.3.
Left: HiDPI version Right: Normal version (2x scale).
Elsewhere, a "Made for iPad. Ready for Anything" header graphic from the "From the App Store" tab of the iPad section of Apple's site was not as clear in HiDPI mode as the text below it when viewed on the page.
Left: HiDPI version Right: Normal version (2x scale).
According to the tipster, when in HiDPI mode, Safari first loads the normal-resolution versions of the site before then rendering the double-resolution versions. As a result, the images look slightly pixelated and jaggy at first before being resolved.
Apple is reportedly using a 2x tag to differentiate between normal- and double-resolution files on its site. For example, the high-resolution version of "hero_title.png" is named "hero_title_2x.png." The system resembles Apple's naming conventions for Retina Display files in iOS, though some of those files are tagged with @2x. Some developers have also taken to the 2x scheme and use it for filenames of their own graphics.
Top: HiDPI screenshot of Apple.com Bottom: Normal version (2x scale).
As expected, Apple unveiled a Retina Display iPad last week with a 2,048-by-1,536-pixel resolution screen and a pixel density of 264ppi. Speculation has also arisen that Apple will begin drastically increasing the resolutions of its Mac line. Rumors have suggested that the company is planning a 2,880-by-1,800-pixel resolution MacBook Pro for release later this year.
Though Apple has built some technologies into its operating systems to compensate for the move to Retina Displays, but third-party applications and websites will need to make adjustments in order to take advantage of the new display. Apple has updated its own applications in preparation for the Retina Display iPad, while some developers have begun updating their apps in anticipation of Friday's launch.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
Can't wait to get my hands on one this Friday...
Wow!! What a difference! <not>
Kind of defeats the purpose of showing the difference when your own viewport is low resolution ppi.
Wow!! What a difference! <not>
I hear ya! I watched the steam of the new iPad event. That Retina Display didn't look any clearer than the first one. In fact, it looked worse.
Kind of defeats the purpose of showing the difference when your own viewport is low resolution ppi.
The difference is in fact exaggerated when displayed on a low-ppi device, since the images appear larger.
Doesn't matter if you are an apple, android of windows fan, this is the way we are moving.
Only problem is we are moving in this direction at the same time that providers are restricting data limits and throtteling back speed above certain data usage thresholds.
Unless things change, I will be buying my next phone and tablet myself so I can stay on my current data plan, otherwise I will be upgrading my devices and downgrading my user experience when not on wifi.
I hear ya! I watched the steam of the new iPad event. That Retina Display didn't look any clearer than the first one. In fact, it looked worse.
WHAT?!! How could it possibly look worse? Everything is clearer and better defined. Ever compared an iPhone 3G/S to an iPhone 4/S? The difference is quite clear and obvious. The retina display is a massive improvement over the previous screen. 4x the number of pixels. You can't judge it on a video which is displayed in lower resolution than the screen itself.
Unless things change, I will be buying my next phone and tablet myself so I can stay on my current data plan, otherwise I will be upgrading my devices and downgrading my user experience when not on wifi.
That might not be enough. When you're out of contract you have no obligation to stay with the carrier and the carrier has no obligation to maintain your month-to-month plan.
WHAT?!! How could it possibly look worse? Everything is clearer and better defined. Ever compared an iPhone 3G/S to an iPhone 4/S? The difference is quite clear and obvious. The retina display is a massive improvement over the previous screen. 4x the number of pixels. You can't judge it on a video which is displayed in lower resolution than the screen itself.
I was being sarcastic.
I was being sarcastic.
Nice save .... not!
FYI: Josh Ong @ Appleinsider - The first image you displayed with the USA flag and text. The text is plain text (styled with CSS), it will scale to any size with no loss of quality. Take a look now and zoom in with any web browser (CTRL and +), the USA flag still appears pixelly but the text never appears pixelly.
I agree that those are poorly manipulated images, and even misleading in the first example.
So how will current sites look on the retina display? Will it be tiny, or will it blow up to fit... thus looking low res..??
If the browser automatically doubles the linear pixel count of images then they will look the same (or better, with smarter rescaling techniques) on high-res display as they look without resolution doubling on a low res display. It remains to be seen how exactly the browser will treat individual web pages.
I hear ya! I watched the steam of the new iPad event. That Retina Display didn't look any clearer than the first one. In fact, it looked worse.
your glasses must have steamed up...
I won't link to it in, I just want to show the massive difference a double resolution display will have on the typical web page (once they have been refactored with 2x images of course). The level of detail is breathtaking.
your glasses must have steamed up...
A product introduction is Apple-porn to a fan. Did you notice how the presenters played with the crowd and teased them along... it was like a strip tease.
< for those on this board who are totally lacking in sarcasm, humor, or understand what a slimily might be, please disregard this post >
I hope this isn't seen as plugging of our website, but our site has been upgraded to HiDPI ever since we knew the retina iPad was coming.
I won't link to it in, I just want to show the massive difference a double resolution display will have on the typical web page (once they have been refactored with 2x images of course). The level of detail is breathtaking.
It is misleading to try to judge the difference on a lower resolution display. The perceived difference in quality does not increase linearly with resolution, and while going from 100 to 200 ppi is an obvious improvement to most people, few will notice a change from 200 to 400 ppi.
Your example simply illustrates how much worse it would look for us if our screen (the one we view AI on) had half the resolution it has now. Unless we're viewing it on a new iPad, we wouldn't know how much better the new iPad was...
It is misleading to try to judge the difference on a lower resolution display. The perceived difference in quality does not increase linearly with resolution, and while going from 100 to 200 ppi is an obvious improvement to most people, few will notice a change from 200 to 400 ppi.
Your example simply illustrates how much worse it would look for us if our screen (the one we view AI on) had half the resolution it has now. Unless we're viewing it on a new iPad, we wouldn't know how much better the new iPad was...
What a sensible reply. "perceived difference" - because I am developing in HiDPI mode on my 27" display, I can clearly "perceive" a huge difference in quality. But I guess I can't truly say how much better the new screen will be without seeing it, and nor will we be able to explain how much better it is, and witness how much better it is, until we are all on HiDPI screens ourselves.
This was the problem Apple had at the keynote - the only real way to show how much better the screen is to TAKE A PHOTO UP CLOSE of the new and old displays. Screenshots like I just did won't cut it. I'll take some photos on Friday.
What a sensible reply. "perceived difference" - because I am developing in HiDPI mode on my 27" display, I can clearly "perceive" a huge difference in quality. But I guess I can't truly say how much better the new screen will be without seeing it, and nor will we be able to explain how much better it is, and witness how much better it is, until we are all on HiDPI screens ourselves.
Well, in a way you can, if you have a large enough screen -- just stand further away from it. If your normal viewing distance is 15 inch, and your screen's ppi is 110, then you just need to go 3 feet away from the screen and you'll get a good idea how the new iPad would look.