Got a tip for us?Let us know

a. Send us an email
b. Anonymous form

Hack Allows Developers to Start Testing iPad Retina Display in iOS Simulator

Friday March 2, 2012 1:13 PM PST by Arnold Kim

With a Retina iPad 3 expected just next week, one developer has created a small utility that allows the iPad simulator to run in 2X mode. The utility is available from Ryan Petrich.

In order to run it on the latest version of Xcode, you will need to symlink /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer to /Developer and /Developer4.

Meanwhile, stroughtonsmith shows how his app SameGame looks in the Retina iPad emulator running on his 27" iMac:

Click on image to see full size.

Apple is widely expected to release a Retina-enabled iPad 3 next week at their media event. If rumors are to believed, the iPad 3 should be available within a week or so of the announcement. That would leave developers little time to Retina-ize their current iPad apps if they wait until the day of the announcement.

Top Rated Comments

chrmjenkins

182 months ago

could a worse example be chosen?

hack allows developers to start testing ipad retina display in ios simulator image

Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)

hasanahmad

182 months ago

could a worse example be chosen?

Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

slicecom

182 months ago

I think that might still actually be better.

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Pakaku

182 months ago

Why do I find it so funny that it can't even be fully displayed on a 27" screen...

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Xenc

182 months ago

But is this hack actually correct. It seems like it isn't. From the description this emulator is making the pixels double the size akin to the blowing up of an iPhone app on an iPad. But that isn't what the retina screen does. It's more like cutting the pixels in half to shove more into the same space.

To view the rumoured four times the number of pixels, you need to double the width and height - which is exactly what is being done here. Density is hardware based (ie. the physical number of pixels per inch).

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jdiamond

182 months ago

Hey - look at the upper right of his title bar!

I recognize the bluetooth and wireless, but what are all those other icons? What kind of really cool software does this person have?

Drooolllll.....

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...

• 88 comments

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...

• 137 comments

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol

We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...

• 24 comments

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

• 127 comments