iPad Screen Size & Resolution
Getting Ready for App Review
A Brief History About the Apple iPad
The Apple iPad’s big screen arrived in our lives in April 2010. The iPad enables users to perform basic internet functions, shoots video, takes photos, plays music, plays video, and is a fabulous e-reader. Its functionalities are further super-powered by third-party apps developed all around the world. All of these features are available from a beautifully designed tablet that can be used almost anywhere – at home, while in bed, as a cooking helper in the kitchen, to watch movies on the plane or read an ebook during your daily commute, possibilities are endless.
The largest amount of iPads was sold during the year 2013, unfortunately since then, sales have been steadily decreasing. The good news is that developers haven’t stopped (and won’t stop) developing native iPad apps. In June 2016 Apple announced there were more than 1 million iPad apps in the App Store. That’s a big bunch of apps.
A device that was first thought for households is now commonly seen as Point-of-Sale systems, being implemented in classrooms, pretty much every modern office has one, now even doctors carry iPads in hospitals, pilots use iPads in airplane cockpits, etc. And let’s not forget how even seniors and the elderly love to use their iPads for their larger displays and intuitive Apple OS!
Across the iPad’s lifespan, there have been different screen sizes and screen resolutions.
Here is the full list of them:
iPad screen size history:
- iPad Mini 1, 2, 3, & 4: 7.9 inches display (1536 x 2048 pixels portrait) (2048 x 1536 pixels landscape)
- iPad 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, iPad Air 1 & 2, iPad Pro 2: 9.7 inches display (1536 x 2048 pixels portrait) (2048 x 1536 pixels landscape)
- iPad Pro 2: 10.5 inches display (1668 x 2224 pixels portrait) (2224 x 1668 pixels landscape)
- iPad Pro 1, iPad Pro 3: 12.9 inches display (2048 x 2732 pixels portrait) (2732 x 2048 pixels landscape)
iPad screen resolution history:
- iPad Mini: 1024 x 768 pixels at 163 ppi
- iPad Mini 2, 3 & 4: 2048 x 1536 pixels at 326 ppi (Retina Display)
- iPad 1, 2: 1024 x 768 at 132 ppi
- iPad 3 & 4, iPad Air 1 & 2, and iPad Pro 2 9.7″: 2048×1536 pixels at 264 ppi (Retina Display)
- iPad Pro 2 10.5″: 2224 x 1668 pixels at 264 ppi
- iPad Pro 1 & 3: 2732 x 2048 pizels at 264 ppi
Alright, so which screenshot size does iTunes Connect require?
So I know many of you are wondering, do I need to upload 12.9″ iPad Pro sized screenshots to iTunes Connect? Or is this optional?
It’s optional.
When you submit an iPad app that runs natively on the 12.9″ version and you submit an iPad 9.7″ sized app screenshot your screenshot image will be accepted and will upload successfully but you will receive an informational message that says “Your binary is designed for iPad Pro. Upload iPad Pro screenshots for a better App Store experience” which you can ignore.
Yes, we all want to provide the best experience possible to customers but with Apple constantly changing app submission requirements it would be kind of a headache to create new app store screenshots for the very few ones that own a 12.9″ iPad Pro and will install our app don’t you think? So, sticking to 9.7″ screenshots is a great move, especially considering it’s the same aspect ratio.
How Do I Get iPad Screenshots That Meet iTunes Connect Requirements
This one is an easy one.
With Placeit’s iPad App Store Screenshots!!
We got rid of the pain that used to come with creating App Store screenshots and the iTunes Connect app submission process. How? We created iPad App Store screenshot templates that meet iTunes Connect screenshot requirements.
If your app supports the iPad, at least one 9.7″ display screenshot is required. Nevertheless, you should use the 5 screenshot slots you get from Apple so that you can clearly explain your app’s features and benefits.
Requirements:
– If in Portrait Position: 1536 x 2048 pixels
– If in Landscape Position: 2048 x 1536 pixels
– 72 dpi, RGB, flattened, no transparency, high-quality JPEG or PNG image file format.
As previously said, Placeit’s iOS screenshots meet these strict requirements and what really makes this screenshot builder a game changer is how easy it is to create and customize these iOS screenshots. No designing skills needed at all!
This is why both programmers and marketers love to use Placeit to generate high-quality iOS screenshots and mockups fast and easy. Thanks to Placeit’s iPad screenshot maker now there’s no need to wait for a designer to deliver, you can go ahead and make your own screenshots in seconds.
Check out how the iOS screenshot maker works below:
Result:
Why your app should run natively on iPad?
We’ve all been there. We want to download an app that we’ve previously used and enjoyed on the iPhone, but now you want to use it on our brand new iPad. We go to the App Store and BOOM, it’s nowhere to be found!
You check the spelling and the spelling is alright and you wonder what is happening here, I know this app I’m looking for exists!
Then on the upper left corner, you find out that you can actually download iPhone apps to your iPad, problem solved, right?
UNTIL…
You open your downloaded app and see something like this
As you may know, the screen can be scaled 2x up. Buttons and images will automatically resize but you will get blurry low-quality buttons, fonts, and graphics which won’t nearly provide the best user experience.
BIG FAIL!
On the contrary, apps developed and designed to run on the iPad device (or on both the iPhone and the iPad) run fast and smooth and provide a much better experience. In simpler words, your app will simply feel right in the user’s hands.
Empower the end user to take advantage of the huge iPad screen he/she paid for!
Another benefit of developing having an iPad app is for staying in the user’s top of mind. Having your app’s icon on a users iPad is important for marketing and branding purposes. Remember that there’s less competition in the iPad App Store as well!
A comeback could be the cost of developing an iPad app in addition to an iPhone app. It costs money and takes time which some companies, big and small, can’t afford to spend. Add up the need to bug checking task, and having to update the app to fix errors and tag along with iOS updates. In the end, I’m sure it is worth the effort. Let’s don’t forget that the iPad is, for many, their primary device!
Alright, I’m Convinced. Show Me iPad Screenshot Templates Please!
Here are just a few of the many available iPad screenshot templates. As you can see, you can create iPad screenshots that feature a white or black iPad and in many different positions as well. Click here to get started with iPad screenshots.
Need landscape position iPad screenshots? No problem! We have them too.
- Now that you know that you can use both 9.7″ and 12.9″ iPad screenshots in iTunes Connect you can go ahead and use Placeit to create iOS screenshots that meet Apple’s requirements.
- Showing real iPad devices on screenshots boosts downloads since users can see your app running smoothly on the iPad.
- 9.7″ screenshots will be scaled down to fit smaller iPad screens and scaled up to fit bigger iPad screens.
READY TO MAKE IPAD APP STORE SCREENSHOTS THAT WORK?
Visit Placeit and choose from +50 iOS Screenshot Templates & Generate Awesome App Store Screenshots!
