Retina Display makes new iPad apps up to 5x larger

Retina Display makes new iPad apps 5x larger
Fitting apps on your new iPad may pose a problem

UPDATE: Check out our new iPad review

Applications optimised for the new iPad's super high-resolution Retina Display are up to five times larger than previous iterations.

Vietnamese site Tinhte has been examining the recently-unveiled versions of Apple's iWork and iLife suites which were given a new coat of paint during the new iPad launch a week ago.

The Keynote application is up from 115MB to 327MB, while Numbers has more than doubled in size from 109MB to 283MB.

Pages has almost tripled from 95MB to 269MB, while the most dramatic increase comes through iMovie which is up from a humble 70MB to 404MB.

With many of the improvements cosmetic, rather than feature centric, it appears that the improved graphics necessary to fill out the 2048 x 1536 Retina Display on the new iPad are responsible.

Less space, less time

If this pattern is replicated beyond apps developed by Apple, the ramifications for potential new iPad buyers are two fold:

Firstly, the usefulness of the 16GB model is significantly reduced.

If we take the example of the FIFA 12 app, which already requires 1.06GB of space then a Retina Display-enhanced app could require at least a quarter of your hard-drive space.

Secondly, it's also worth considering the extra time needed to download these apps to the device.

Loading a 2-3GB application onto your iPad before you head off to work in the morning will surely be too much of a challenge for most UK households.

So the message is clear for those heading down to the nearest Apple Store on Friday morning: Go big or go home.

Via: The Verge

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.