Elaine Giles

iPad Retina Display

16 March 2012, 20:49 by Elaine

I well recall when Steve Jobs announced iPhone 4 and eulogised about the retina display. I must confess I was not really excited by it as a feature. I was hosting live coverage of the announcement at the time and the consensus of those in the chatroom was the same.

Of course only a few days later and I like everyone else was blown away by the quality of the display I had in my hand.

Fast forward a couple of years and two iPad versions later and today I was awaiting the delivery of the first iPad model to sport a retina display. Despite the lessons of last time I’ll admit I was still not prepared for the extent of the difference discernable between iPad 2 and the third Generation iPad.

First, was a comparison of the photographic site 500px displayed in Safari – there was a noticeable difference.

iPad 2 screen display v. iPad 3rd generation retina display

Download full resolution comparison images.

The difference is even more obvious as you zoom in:
iPad 2 display zoomed in

iPad 3rd Generation retina display zoomed in

However, even that didn’t prepare me for the infinite improvement in the display of 2x apps designed for iPhone. A particular annoyance for me has always been the lack of a dedicated iPad version of the Spotify app, but just look at the improvement in the display of Spotify from iPad 2 to the new iPad.

Suffice it to say the iPad 3rd Generation screen is completely astounding, it’s something that really needs to be seen to be believed.

Written by Elaine

Elaine Giles is an acclaimed and experienced IT trainer, creative designer, technology consultant and podcaster. She specializes in slide design and visual communications and has extensive expertise in virtual training including webinar creation and delivery.

Elaine is a presenter of The Training Show, the show for Learning Professionals everywhere. Her passions are using technology to solve real-world practical business-related problems and teaching others to make effective use of the technology at their disposal.

She′s a highly-regarded commentator on Apple issues, co-hosting and producing MacBites, an Apple-related podcast, as well as being in constant demand as a guest on a number of Apple-related podcasts.

Elaine holds a Law degree from The University of London, a number of prestigious Microsoft technical qualifications and is a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute (formerly the Institute of IT Training).