As long as Apple makes an iPhone, there'll always be rumors as to what features will be in the next generation. And while rumors such as the new iPhone being able to spackle the den or walk the dog will always be present, one of the more prevalent rumors since last month has centered around Apple moving from its 3.5-inch iPhone with its 3:2 aspect ratio to a 4-inch display and nearly a 16:9 aspect ratio, thereby adding 176 pixels to the display (1136x640) and allowing videos to be played in full widescreen glory.
Since Apple's switch to a Retina Display with the iPhone 4 was a big change for iOS developers, we decided to ask some iOS game devs how their work might be affected if the latest iPhone 5 rumors prove to be true. After all, if an app has a scrolling interface (think Instapaper or a to-do list), it doesn't really matter if there are 176 more pixels at the bottom of the screen. But games tend to use full-screen art, where every pixel counts.
"This is totally a rumor," said game designer Bruce Morrison, co-creator of iOS titles such as Gun Runner and Jetpack Joyride. "I can see Apple changing the resolution, as in making it a higher fidelity, but not the aspect ratio. Right now, it's all seamless."
Morrison went on to comment that the transition from the iPhone 3GS's 480x320 screen to the iPhone 4's 960x640 was easy, as was the transition form the second-generation iPad to the current iPad with its Retina Display, so he doesn't think that Apple has any jarring changes in mind.
"I think you'd need to assess the risk of delaying deployment to the possible new size, versus paying for development that might not pan out," said self-proclaimed "Macintosh IT guy" Finn Melchior. "I guess the safest bet would be to prepare graphics for your most valuable assets and be ready to respond quickly to whatever Apple throws at you."
Others proved a bit more skeptical as to the the extent a resolution change would affect their graphics. "Honestly, there's not a lot you can do on a phone that would be affected by a slightly higher resolution, said Erica Henderson, Lead Artist at Zynga.
At a recent Game Jam development event in Oakland, California, iOS developers expressed moderate concern that current art might look pixelated at the higher resolution. Even so, one developer who preferred to stay anonymous stated that in developing for the old pre-Retina Display iOS to the current Retina Display, it was best to go at it "in terms of ratios" and make the art as scalable as possible in anticipation of the new hardware.
Not bad advice, and it may prove useful should the iPhone's screen resolution become that much higher in the next generation.
