Buyer Beware: 11-inch iPad Pro has a new aspect ratio, and most apps have HUGE black bars

[Macalway]

Anyone know why they did this?

 

[jonnyb098]

I agree, it's a serious issue, and one that I did not think of. This puts me off from the 11" iPad pro.

The problem is that developers have to support the 9.7", 10.5", 12.9", and now the 11" with a different aspect ratio. The market for iPad apps is just so much smaller than the market for iPhone apps, so it might not make sense to put resources into development to optimize for so many different screens. And the waste majority of iPads in existence is probably 9.7", so that will be the priority.

Honestly , I think the new iPads , while very nice will not be hot sellers at all. The sweet spot is the 10.5 from last year. Even so they still kept the price the same which is a joke. $649 for almost a year and a half old tech. But I guess they have to keep it there to justify the obnoxious new pricing model.

 

[jasbur17]

It's still better than an android tablet!
note... I love android phones but...

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Or never....loads of apps are just blown up 9.7 in versions that look terrible on the 10.5 and 12.9 iPad Pro.

Well, when one spends a year or so writing an app that doesn’t sell 100 copies at $5 each, you won’t see much application support. How many people are in the “I will never pay $10 for an iPad app” camp that also expect endless support.

Apple didn’t help either by pushing subscriptions and killing the upgrade model. Even if I make the best iPad calculator in the world, do you want to pay a recurring fee to use it? Of course not! So now what. Either I have to be a viral sensation where there’s enough purchases to fund updates going forward or I have to work for free forever for those fewer than 100 people who bought my $5 app.

 

[kurosov]

Apps will already need to be updated for the new design language with the rounded corners.

 

[sracer]

When the first iPad was released...or retina screens were introduced.
a lot of apps were just enlarged iPhone apps on the screen, and some apps still are

It is not an Apple problem, but the app makers, they sometimes take months/years to adjust their apps for resolution or screen format.
ans some really don't care, as long it gets sold, and only after ultimatums from apple, they adjust, or get erased from the store.

So the last time was 6 years ago (iPad 4). Your comment, "this has always been the case with new aspect ratio devices" is a bit overstated. It's not like screen resolutions change every generation or every other one for iPads.

Of course it is Apple's problem. They are the one who designed iOS. They are the ones who require that apps be aware of system-level functions like screen resolution, split-view, etc.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Crappy change for my usages.

I do use mine for video, but my usage on websites blows it away and 4:3 is totally great for that.

I do not like aspect ratios that favor wider over taller, as I almost always want more vertical space for everything other than video, and even that is trending toward lots of "tall" usages with everyone sharing iPhone videos that they didn't rotate the phone to take.

 

[profets]

Anyone know why they did this?

My only guess since the keynote was so that it can still accommodate a decently sized keyboard cover/folio. They likely didn't want to go to a smaller keyboard than they had on the previous 10.5" iPad Pro.

 

[chabig]

So if they wanted to change the ratio, they should've done it much earlier.

Huh? How would they release it earlier? How would that change anything? You haven’t really thought this through.

 

[macduke]

Yeah, I've been surprised on the forums the lack of people who haven't realized the new 11" has a different aspect ratio. It's wider. Apple has a whole page on their site showing developers how they will need to optimize for this. Even the 12.9" will need a little work due to the fact that it needs an area for the home indicator thing, but that should be even easier to fix.

 

[AttilaTheHun]

Good to know thanks for the info so I called to cancel my order of the 11" my status is PFS for 11/7/2018 the CS said can't because it shipped I stated that on my account it say PFS her answer was "but on our side it say shipped "
so I can return it or sell it on local area, I ordered the 12.9" instead but 2 to 3 week to ship

 

[Rafterman]

Good to know thanks for the info so I called to cancel my order of the 11" my status is PFS for 11/7/2018 the CS said can't because it shipped I stated that on my account it say PFS her answer was "but on our side it say shipped "
so I can return it or sell it on local area, I ordered the 12.9" instead but 2 to 3 week to ship

You know, in two-three weeks, many of the critical apps may already be fixed

 

[AttilaTheHun]

You know, in two-three weeks, many of the critical apps may already be fixed

Maybe except old AP that I have and the developer is gone

 

[cibonak]

You know, in two-three weeks, many of the critical apps may already be fixed

exactly... relax folks everything will be fine

 

[DNichter]

Oh well, I'll survive. I still prefer the 11 to the 12.9 size. I like the new aspect ratio so I am good.

 

[turbineseaplane]

You know, in two-three weeks, many of the critical apps may already be fixed

That's pretty optimistic..
Scroll up and see Post #27 (attached below)

The problem is many developers take FOREVER to update their ipad apps. Facebook is a multi billion dollar company that still hasn't updated for the larger retina iPads from the last 2 years.

So yes, we can blame apple partly for not partnering with companies to update their software. The iPad is still not taken seriously by many developers (took adobe till 2018) while apple is trying to push this as a laptop replacement. Its comical.
[doublepost=1541433185][/doublepost]
Or never....loads of apps are just blown up 9.7 in versions that look terrible on the 10.5 and 12.9 iPad Pro.

 

[The Game 161]

No different to the apps being updated via max

I’ve ordered the 12.9 anyway do for me it don’t matter but apps will get updated

 

[charlituna]

So yes, we can blame apple partly for not partnering with companies to update their software.

not Apple's job. they provide the tools and the developers are the ones to do the work. if someone doesn't update that's on them. not Apple.

 

[digitalcuriosity]

Good reason to hold off until you really know just what you are buying and how it will preform.

 

[frostbit3]

I don't see this being a huge problem for very long. Most developers will update their apps to support the new aspect ratio pretty quickly like happened when the phone changed aspect ratio.

 

[Alaxlmartin]

Honestly , I think the new iPads , while very nice will not be hot sellers at all. The sweet spot is the 10.5 from last year. Even so they still kept the price the same which is a joke. $649 for almost a year and a half old tech. But I guess they have to keep it there to justify the obnoxious new pricing model.
[doublepost=1541433939][/doublepost]

Courage

What phone are you on?

 

[Saurus504]

Just want to put it out there, the new 11-inch iPad Pro doesn't only have a new resolution, but it also has a new aspect ratio, ditching iPad's infamous 4:3.

This means, almost every single iPad app will now need to be updated to the new aspect ratio, and we all know this will result in so many apps neglected and will result in massive black bars for so many apps.

The 12.9" iPad Pro is now the safe option if you want all apps to take advantage of the whole screen.

Check this video and look how terrible Rome: Total War (go to 12:10) and Affinity Photo (go to 13:05) look on the 11" iPad. This literally looks like the original iPad from 2010. Such a dumb move by Apple.

SO BUYER BEWARE.

This was the same exact issue when the iPhone plus models started coming out and developers adjusted their apps very quickly. This is a little overboard of a reaction.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

This was the same exact issue when the iPhone plus models started coming out and developers adjusted their apps very quickly. This is a little overboard of a reaction.

While true, iPad apps don't get updated as quickly. There are still plenty of apps not updated for the X, not to mention the XS Max. Its going to look messy for a while for a lot of apps.

 

[cibonak]

Facebook not updated on ipp 12.9 yet... not a big problem

 

[unobtainium]

This is literally something that emerges with many new apple product launches, and developer catch up. Blaming Apple is fairly simplistic and silly ultimately, given 1) it hasn't shipped yet for developers to test their apps out with, 2) the screen resolution was not supported prior to the announcement of the new pros, and 3) xcode needs to also support these resolutions for developers to code and test layouts with. So a touch of patience is all you need.

Well he has a point that some developers will never update their apps. It's something to think about any time you upgrade to a new device with a different aspect ratio.

 

[Nikhil72]

Well he has a point that some developers will never update their apps. It's something to think about any time you upgrade to a new device with a different aspect ratio.

then it’s time to stop supporting the developer and/or website unless it’s mission critical to your work or life. facebook.com for instance is a workable solution. just my take.