iPhone 5 Launch image and App review - iphone

I am about to submit a game app for a review.
Game is built with iOS SDK 6.1 and iOS 5.1 as deployment target.
I currently do NOT have views for iPhone 5 (wide) and
the app is running in a letterbox mode on the IP5 which is fine.
The apple guidelines says that Default-568#2x (IP5 launch image) image is required,
but I get a problem if I include this image - the app is not longer running in letterbox mode and looks broken (content is not centered, appears on the left in landscape).
If I do not include the launch image for the IP5, can I expect problem with app review?
Has anyone recently submitted app without IP5 launch image?
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Original question is now outdated! Since May 1st 2013 all submitted apps must have iPhone 5 launch image and you cannot rely on compatibility letterbox mode anymore.

You only include iPhone 5 launch image if you are supporting that screen. Not including the Default-568#2x.png launch image indicates that you are implicitly not supporting the screensize of the iPhone 5 and letterbox mode will be applied to iPhone 5 devices running your app.
You will not have any issues on the App Store. That is until Apple decides that all apps must support the 4" Retina screen going forward.

I just got App rejected for not having the -568h launch screen, which it says has been required as of May 1.

You are no longer allowed to submit an app or an update to an existing app without support for the 4" retina display on iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5. Your binary will be rejected by an automatic scan process before it enters the "Waiting For Review" state.

No, not required Default-568#2x if you want to run your app in letterbox....

Related

Iphone resolution on an Ipad

We have an app that has been rejected in the review process by the Apple app review people. The cause for the rejection is that the app is not scaling properly when run on an Ipad.
The app was never meant to be run on an Ipad, but there seems to be no point in arguing with them about that.
Apple sent us a couple of screenshots that show our app being run on an Ipad with the top portion of the view cut off. Notice how the app is run in some mode where it looks like an Iphone app and does not fill out the entire display area. When we bring up the app on an Ipad, it fills out the screen and does so without any edges cut off.
Can anyone please tell me how to run the app on an Ipad the way the Apple guys have - Iphone-sized? We believe we have a fix for the issue but we need to reproduce the error and then be able to verify that the fix solves the issue.
(the logotypes in the images are intentionally blurred)
I just went through this myself and here is how I resolved it:
Go into info.plist and see if any of the supported interface orientations are set for iPad. Despite selecting iPhone only, I had iPad supported orientations for four (portrait, portrait upside down, landscape left, landscape right). I deleted those.
I also deleted any reference to the launch screen in the info.plist. My app is pretty simple and there's no preloading of data so I don't really need a launch screen. If you do, you could go old school and make your first VC the launch screen.
I then made these changes in Target-->General-->App Icons and Launch Images
That was the only way I could get it in the sim to run the app at iPhone resolution while running an iPad (iPad2, iPad Air).
If Apple is going to force developers to ensure an app runs on an iPad even if it is made just for iPhone, they should eliminate the iPhone Only and Universal options and just have iPad Only as an option.
To run an iPhone app on an iPad, you just need to:
Acquire an iPad (you can also use the simulator)
Set the target device family in Xcode (it's under your target) to iPhone
Connect your iPad, perform any necessary certificate dances
Run the app on the iPad.
As long as the target device family is set to iPhone, the iPad will show your app in this mode.
Apple is likely running your app on a simulator, not on a real device. Notice the "2X" on the top right. In XCode - you should run the app on iPad Retina Simulator. On the bottom right you will see a button that you can toggle from 1X to 2X.
If you place the simulator in "2X" mode, you will see what Apple is seeing.
What OS are you running on your iPad? Things have changed in iOS 8 - and that's likely why you're not seeing what Apple is seeing. My guess is that your are running an app that was initially developed for iOS 7 or earlier - which means that you need to upgrade from scaled resolution to native resolutions to resolve this issue. Here is how you do it:
How to enable native resolution for apps on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus?

iPhone 5 Optimization Requirement - Launch image really necessary?

When trying to upload a binary to App Store, I get the following response in an email:
"iPhone 5 Optimization Requirement - Your binary is not optimized for iPhone 5. As of May 1, all new iPhone apps and app updates submitted must support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. All apps must include a launch image of the appropriate size. Learn more about iPhone 5 support by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines."
Also, the status of the app is "Illegal binary".
I've read that I must include a launch image called "Default-568h#2x.png". Question is: My app was not intending to have a launch image at all. Am I really required to have a launch image now?
Yes you must include one. Not only does the launch image give the hint to the OS about the app's iPhone 5 (4" screen) support, but launch images in general are required:
From Apple's Interface Guidelines
To enhance the user’s experience at app launch, you must provide at least one launch image. A launch image looks very similar to the first screen your app displays. iOS displays this image instantly when the user starts your app and until the app is fully ready to use. As soon as your app is ready for use, your app displays its first screen, replacing the launch placeholder image.
Furthermore:
Generally, design a launch image that is identical to the first screen of the app.
So really, making a launch image that is about the same as the first screen of your app (e.g. if the first screen is a UITableViewController with a toolbar and navigation bar, perhaps the screen looks like an empty navigation bar, an empty toolbar, and an empty table view, which then suddenly all become populated as soon as your app really gets going), is the way to go for the best user experience.
If really you don't want or need this, then make the default images just be black.
Yes, as stated, as of May 1, 2013, all new apps and app updates must provide support for the new iPhone 5 4-inch display.
The way to indicate that your app supports (has been tested with) the new iPhone 5 resolution is to simply include the launch image for that device.
You can simply create a black .png image (which is what your other default launch images are anyway) that is 640 x 1136 pixels and use that as the launch image for that device.
Simply including the new splash screen image (Default-568h#2x.png) is not enough
You must re-build your project with the iOS 6.0 SDK (or newer) - which supports iPhone 5
So if you're still using an older SDK, update your XCode in the App Store first
Yes. from 1st May, you can't upload application with out including Default-568h#2x.png in your application.

Is it possible to test your app on iPhone 5 using the 3.5 inch form factor in Xcode?

When I am building an application for both the iPhone 3.5 inch & iPhone 4 inch, is it possible to test both form factors using the iPhone 5, instead of having to keep switching between phones?
I know that the iPhone 5 automatically puts black bars beneath and above any app that is not iPhone 5 compatible, but it would be great to be able to test apps in that way.
I doubt it's currently possible, as I haven't found any options for that in Xcode myself, but it would be awesome if Apple would add that feature. Thanks in advance for any responses.
If you remove the Default-568h#2x.png from the project (just remove it's target membership) and clean the project you app is presented in 3.5 inch mode.
There is not way the set the run parameter too force it in 3.5 inch mode. You could also just connect both iPhones to you development machine and when you want to debug the app select the device you want to test on.
I think it should be enough to not supply a Default-586h#2x.png launch image. Just have Default.png and Default#2x.png, then the app should be letterboxed on the 4" simulator.

How to make an iPhone app and exclude iPhone 5?

I'm looking at the iPhone 5 specs, and see that the screen resolution is 640x1132 or so, which would break some of my manual+storyboard interface layouts. I'm wandering how to make an app so it would either show on iPhone 5 in 640x960 screen (with black bars), or exclude my app from sale to iPhone 5 at all, as I do not want to worry about the interface breaking. Is this possible for existing apps?
Thank you for your input!
Unless you include a Default-568h#2x.png image in your application, it will not run at full iPhone 5 resolution.
In the Apple keynote on the 12th Sept 2012, they said all current applications in the app store would run on the iPhone 5 with without a problem using the black letterbox at the top and bottom.
The way to remove the letterbox is by providing a Default-568h#2x.png image, like duskwuff mentioned. If its not there, the device will run the application will run at 640x960.

ipad logo while submitting app

Hi I have to submit my first iPhone app. I have tested it on iPod touch and iPhone. While submitting, is it necessary to add the iPad logo. if yes how to do it. my application is a small utility application...and I have not programmed it keeping iPad GUI guidelines in mind for example it doesn't have the landscape layout.
how is it normally...if I submit an app is it automatically considered for iPad as well.
Your info.plist specifies which devices you support. Apps build with SDK level prior to 3.2 can't support iPad. You only need the iPad icon if your app supports iPad, so you will be ok.
HIG strongly recommends landscape support for iPad, but it isn't required; it isn't essential for iPhone apps, either.
iPad app icon is 72 x 72 pixels, png format (that's your application icon)
the AppStore icon is 512 x 512 pixels (that's required when submitting via itunesconnect.apple.com)
landscape support is optional.
You should not include any Apple trademarked images including the iPhone and iPad logos. Also, your app could be rejected if it doesn't support the landscape orientation unless you have a good reason not to.