iOS New test device: iPad/Mini or iPodTouch?

[1458279]

I've been using the iPT as a test device but it won't work with iOS7, so I need a new device.

I don't want payment, don't need phone service, so that gives me a choice:

-New iPT
-iPadMini Retina
-iPadAir

Given that I can test on the simulator for these, and not considering non-testing uses, what advantage is there to one over the other?

I'm also considering a MBA/MBP for dev, so a iPad might be better as the MBA/MBP might not view the whole device on the screen (just a guess).

The cost difference isn't much between iPodT/iPadMini

There are more iPhones than iPads, but the simulator should work fine except speed (performance) testing, however, the iPadMini has the same processor so performance should be close enough.

I can't see any problem with using an iPadMini Retina as my ONLY test device, it has the resolution, size factor between the Mini/Air is automatically handled by the OS.

I don't want to buy more than one test device.

 

[waterskier2007]

I would say go with the iPad mini. It was freshly updated, has the same res as the iPad, and is relatively cheap. Seems like the best option. I am thinking of grabbing one myself

 

[Duncan C]

I've been using the iPT as a test device but it won't work with iOS7, so I need a new device.

I don't want payment, don't need phone service, so that gives me a choice:

-New iPT
-iPadMini Retina
-iPadAir

Given that I can test on the simulator for these, and not considering non-testing uses, what advantage is there to one over the other?

I'm also considering a MBA/MBP for dev, so a iPad might be better as the MBA/MBP might not view the whole device on the screen (just a guess).

The cost difference isn't much between iPodT/iPadMini

There are more iPhones than iPads, but the simulator should work fine except speed (performance) testing, however, the iPadMini has the same processor so performance should be close enough.

I can't see any problem with using an iPadMini Retina as my ONLY test device, it has the resolution, size factor between the Mini/Air is automatically handled by the OS.

I don't want to buy more than one test device.

I'd say it depends on your target market. Are the apps you plan to sell going to be used primarily by iPhone users or iPad users? That's your first decision.

What range of OS versions do you plan to support?

Do you do anything that pushes the limits of the CPU, GPU, or memory? If so, you might want to buy a test device with the slowest processor & lowest memory you plan to support, so you can make sure it runs well on that platform. (The sim is totally useless for real-world performance testing.) Remember that you can get out-of-contract phones cheaply on the used market. Just don't activate them, and they are perfectly useable as test devices.

Make a chart that maps out the app features and customer device profiles you are targeting, and assign priorities to different aspects. That will help you make a decision.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

iPad Mini has the A7 processor, which does 64 bit. You'll probably want a test machine that can run 64 bit.

 

[Duncan C]

iPad Mini has the A7 processor, which does 64 bit. You'll probably want a test machine that can run 64 bit.

It depends on your target market. A 64 bit device will let you test 64 bit, but won't let you test your app running on a 32 bit device.

Face detection is currently broken for 32 bit apps on the 5s for example. You need both devices if you want to test on both 32 and 64.

For now the installed base of 32 bit is much, much larger, so I would opt for a 32 bit device if I only could have one. A couple of years from now that may change, but for now, I'd opt for a 32 bit device.

 

[1458279]

I do have 2 iPT devices for the 32 bit and older OS testing, but they don't support iOS7. The main reason for the update would be to support iOS7.

I'm trying to find a sweet spot where I don't have to buy two new devices. So my thinking is that I can test screen layout, 32 bit, older OSs on the iPT and simulator. Then test the rest (iOS7, screen layout, speed, etc...) in the new iPadMini Retina.

Also, the target will include and lean towards iPads. So the Mini should address that very well, except the older iPad speed (performance) issues.

 

[dantastic]

It's pretty impossible to find a sweet spot of just that one or two devices. Truth is, you will need a lot of them!

That having been said, you can wait and just buy what you really need. And now is the time to get cheap second hand devices as well.

I still have devices running iOS5 in case I should need them. But I only very recently bought an iPad4 (second hand) as I needed it. Was using an old first generation iPad before that.

As for your question, I would go with an iPad of sorts. That would complement your lineup of devices better than another iPod would. The whole retina/non retina really doesn't matter. Don't think I've ever come across something to do with retina/non retina I couldn't work on using the simulator.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

Re: Retina,

almost all devices being sold today are retina and probably the vast majority of phones still in use are retina. Not sure what the distribution of iPads in use is but many or most are probably retina.

Having said that I've certainly done a lot of retina work on the Sim also.

 

[macfacts]

It's pretty impossible to find a sweet spot of just that one or two devices. Truth is, you will need a lot of them!
...

sounds like fragmentation ...

 

[1458279]

sounds like fragmentation ...

Yea, that's one thing that Apple wasn't well known for.

I think keeping the two old iPT that I have know and adding an iPad mini or air would cover things well.


On a side note, I just did a side by side on the mini vs full size and they really aren't that far apart. I really wanted the mini just because of the portability, now I'm 2nd guessing things but still leaning towards the mini retina.

Saw the iPT latest version too, those look great, wish mine were the latest.

 

[firewood]

The absolute minimum in test devices would be something similar to Apple's current best selling device, since that is what Apple's app store review team is probably testing your submitted apps on. That would be a 64-bit device running iOS 7, which rules out the current iPod touch. If you can wait a few weeks, a retina mini would fit the bill for the lowest cost, otherwise a retina air or a (pricey) 5s.

Next would be a 32-bit device and a device with a different display size and an old slow device running the oldest Deployment target you plan on supporting, but it sounds like you might have those already. You may need at least one iPad, since the review team reportedly tests even iPhone-only apps on one.

Filling in the rest of the matrix has greatly diminishing (but occasionally non-zero) benefits.